The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kankan (Latin: Kankanen(sis)) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Conakry in Guinea, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Its cathedral episcopal see is the Marian Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Victoires et de la Paix, dedicated to Our Lady of Victories and Peace, in the city of Kankan.
As per 2014, it pastorally served 72,455 Catholics (3.4% of 2,143,000 total) on 118,000 km² in 14 parishes and 76 missions with 40 priests (32 diocesan, 8 religious), 23 lay religious (14 brothers, 9 sisters) and 7 seminarians.
Established on May 12, 1949 as Apostolic Prefecture of Kankan, on territory canonically split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of French Guinea
Promoted on November 17, 1993 as Diocese of Kankan.
(all Roman rite)
Apostolic Prefects of Kankan
Fr. Maurizio Le Mailloux, Holy Ghost Fathers (C.S.Sp.- (1950.03.17 – death 1957)
Apostolic Administrator Gérard-Paul-Louis-Marie de Milleville, C.S.Sp. (1957 – 1958.12.14), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Conakry (Guinea) (1955.09.14 – retired 1962.03.10), later Titular Archbishop of Gabala (1962.03.10 – 2007.01.12) as Auxiliary Bishop of Fortaleza (Brazil) (1967 – 1984), Apostolic Administrator of Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe, French) (1968.01.29 – 1970.10.05); died 2207
Fr. Jean B. Coudray, C.S.Sp. (1958.12.14 – death 1979)
Apostolic Administrator Robert Sarah (1979 – 1993.11.17), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Conakry (Guinea) (1979.08.13 – 2001.10.01), President of Episcopal Conference of the Guinea (1985 – 2001); later Roman Curia official as Secretary of Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (2001.10.01 – 2010.10.07), Vice-Grand Chancellor of Pontifical Urbaniana University (2001.10.01 – 2010.10.07), President of Pontifical Council “Cor unum” (2010.10.07 – 2014.11.24), created Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giovanni Bosco in Via Tuscolana (2010.11.20 [2011.01.30] – ...), Prefect of Roman Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2014.11.24 – ...)
Suffragan Bishops of Kankan
Vincent Coulibaly (1993.11.17 – 2003.05.06), first Guinean incumbent; later Metropolitan Archbishop of Conakry (Guinea) (2003.05.06 – ...), staying on shortly as Apostolic Administrator of Kankan (2003.07.31 – 2004), President of Episcopal Conference of the Guinea (2007.12 – 2013.01)
Emmanuel Félémou (2007.01.05 - ...), President of Episcopal Conference of the Guinea (2013.01 – ...); no previous prelature
