Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha

Updated on Dec 11, 2024

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Rite Latin Rite Pope Francis Date founded 18 December 1972 Cathedral Okinawa Prefecture		Established 18 December 1972 Area 2,266 km² Country Japan Metropolitan archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami

Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2004)1,351,1756,118 (0.5%) Emeritus Bishops Peter Baptist Tadamaro Ishigami Bishop Emeritus (1973-1997) Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nagasaki

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha (Latin: Nahan(us), Japanese: カトリック那覇教区) is a Latin suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Nagasaki 長崎, in southern Japan.

Its cathedral episcopal see is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Kainan Church), located in the city of Naha (on and administrative capital of Okinawa).

History

Established in 1947 as Apostolic Administration of Okinawa and the Southern Islands alias of (the) Ryukyus, an exempt missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Prefecture of Kagoshima 鹿児島 (now a diocese in the same province).

Promoted on December 18, 1972 as Diocese of Naha, after its see.

Ordinaries

All Roman Rite, members of a Latin congregation

Apostolic Administrators of Okinawa and the Southern Islands

Apollinaris William Baumgartner (アポリナリス・バウムガートナー), Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (O.F.M. Cap.) (1947 – 1949), titular bishop of Joppe (Jaffa) (1945.08.25 – 1965.10.14) and apostolic vicar of Guam (1945.08.25 – 1965.10.14), later bishop of Agaña (Guam) (1965.10.14 – 1970.12.18)

Felix Ley, O.F.M. (1949 – 1972.01.23) Titular bishop of Caput Cilla (1968.03.11 – 1972.01.23)

Suffragan Bishops of Naha

Peter Baptist Tadamaro Ishigami, (ペトロ・バプティスタ石神忠真郎), O.F.M. Cap. (1972.12.18 – 1997.01.24 retired)

Berard Toshio Oshikawa, (ベラルド押川壽夫), O.F.M. Conv. (1997.01.24 – ...)

References

Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

History

Ordinaries

References