By Paschal Norbert
NDOLA, JUNE 19, 2024 (CISA) – Pope Francis has elevated the Catholic Diocese of Ndola to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ndola, with the suffragan dioceses of Kabwe and Solwezi, and appointed Rt Rev Benjamin Phiri, currently bishop of the diocese, metropolitan archbishop of the same.
The news of the erection of the new ecclesiastical province of Ndola and the subsequent appointment of the archbishop was today June 18, 2024, by the Holy See Press Office on June 18, 2024.
The new Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ndola is in central Zambia with an area of 32,000 km². It has 1,920,580 Catholics, out of 3,223,400 inhabitants, representing 59.6% of the total population.
The archdiocese has 84 parishes with 187 priests: 106 diocesan and 81 religious. It also has 151 religious brothers and 340 religious sisters. There are 143 major seminarians and numerous catechists.
The new Ecclesiastical Province of Ndola, which will include the dioceses of Kabwe and Solwezi will have a combined total of 2,218,765 Catholics.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Ndola will become the third archdiocese in Zambia after Lusaka and Kasama.
