Catholic Church in Nigeria: Difference between revisions

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| leader_name1 = [[Lucius iwejuru Ugorji]]

| members = <!-- or |number_of_followers = -->35.0 million (2024)<ref name="features.pewforum.org">{{cite web |url=http://features.pewforum.org/global-christianity/population-number.php |title=Table: Christian Population in Numbers by Country &#124; Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |publisher=Features.pewforum.org |date=19 December 2011 |access-date=16 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107133111/http://features.pewforum.org/global-christianity/population-number.php |archive-date=7 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The '''Catholic Church in Nigeria''' is part of the worldwide [[Catholic Church]], under the spiritual leadership of the [[Pope]], the [[curia]] in [[Rome]], and the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria]] (CBCN).

In 2022, the present president of the CBCN is [[Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji]], [[Archbishop]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri|Owerri Archdiocese]].<ref>[https://www.aciafrica.org/news/5416/newly-appointed-archbishop-in-nigeria-elected-president-of-catholic-bishops-conference Association of Catholic Information in Africa website, article dated 3/9/22]</ref> He followed on from the previous president, [[Augustine Obiora Akubeze]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbcn-ng.org/|title=Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)|website=www.cbcn-ng.org|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailypost.ng/2018/02/22/catholic-bishops-elect-new-president/|title=Catholic bishops elect new president|last=Olowolagba|first=Fikayo|date=2018-02-22|website=Daily Post Nigeria|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref>

==Overview==

The Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches comprise the world's largest Christian Church, and its largest religious grouping. In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in [[Nigeria]].<ref>Craig Timberg, "Nigeria's Spiritual Rainmaker is Eyed at Vatican," ''Washington Poet'', 17 April 2005, A1</ref> In 2010 the Catholic population accounted for approximately 12.6% of the population,<ref>Pew Research Center: Christian Population as Percentages of total population by country 2010 https://www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/table-christian-population-as-percentages-of-total-population-by-country/</ref> 70% of which can be found in Southeast Nigeria.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Historically, the [[Congregation of the Holy Spirit|Holy Ghost Fathers]] maintained a strong presence in [[Igboland]] in today's Southeastern Nigeria, whereas the [[White Fathers]] operated in Western and Northern Nigeria, and the [[Society of African Missions]] in Lagos.<ref name="Ebuziem">{{cite book |last1=Ebuziem |first1=Cajetan E. |title=Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context: Towards an Emerging Model and Method for the Church in Africa |date=2011 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-1-4331-1154-9 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1viH3nRlax0C&pg=PA8 |language=en}}</ref>

Nigeria, together with [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo Democratic Republic]], boasts of the highest number of priests in Africa. The boom in vocation to the priesthood in Nigeria is mainly in the Southeastern part, especially among the [[Igbo people|Igbo]] ethnic group, of which the first evangelizers were [[Holy Ghost Fathers]].<ref name="Ebuziem"/>

The official patron saints of Nigeria are Mary, Queen of Nigeria, and [[Patrick of Ireland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholic.org/saints/patron.php?letter=N|title=Patron Saints: N - Saints & Angels|website=Catholic Online|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>

==Demographics==

Christianity was followed by an estimated 46.18% of the Nigerian population in 2020; one-quarter of Christians in Nigeria are Catholic (12.39% of the country's population).<ref>[https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=166c World Religions Database at the ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-08]</ref>

In the same year, over 9,500 priests and 6,500 nuns served over 4,000 parishes.<ref>[https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/nigeria Catholics and Culture website, retrieved 2023-08-08]</ref>

| Suffragan Dioceses || 59

**[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Aguleri|Aguleri]]

( Cardinal Bishop)

{{main|Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria}}The [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria]] is the Nigerian [[Episcopal Conference|episcopal conference]]. Its current President is [[Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji]].

* [https://www.facebook.com/St.JosephMajorSeminary.IkotEkpene.AkwaIbomState St Joseph Major Seminary Ikot Ekpene]

* Don Bosco Institute of Philosophy<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dbipibadan.com/|title=DON BOSCO INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY, IBADAN - Lumen et Sapientia|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Affiliated to Salesian Pontifical University (Rome)

* St Augustine's seminary, Amechi Ezzamgbo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

* St John Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin-Ladi, Plateau State

* St James' Junior Seminary, Yandev Gboko

* St Jude's Minor Seminary, Kuje Abuja

* St Clement's Minor Seminary, Adankolo-Lokoja, Kogi State

* St Dominic Savio Seminary, Akpu, Anambra State

* St Peter's Seminary Ogii, Okigwe Diocese

* St Felix Seminary Ejeme-Anigor, Delta State

* St Joseph Seminary Basawa, Zaria, Kaduna State.

* St Charles Borromeo Minor Seminary, Madakiya Kaduna State

* St Paul Minor Seminary, Benin City, Edo State

*[https://www.divinemercysisters.net Missionary Sisters of Divine Mercy, Nnewi, Nigeria]

* Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, Ikeja, Lagos-State.

*[http://www.sma.ie/ Society of African Missions]

*[http://www.vocationist.net Vocationists] The Society of Divine Vocations

*[https://www.omiworld.org Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate]

*[[Religion in Nigeria]]

*[[Christianity in Nigeria]]

{{Christianity in Nigeria}}