Resignation and succession of metropolitan archbishop of L’Aquila, Italy

Erection of the diocese of Ganda, Angola, and appointment of first bishop

Resignation and succession of metropolitan archbishop of L’Aquila, Italy

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of L’Aquila, Italy, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi.

He is succeeded by Archbishop Antonio D’Angelo, until now coadjutor of the same archdiocese.

Erection of the diocese of Ganda, Angola, and appointment of first bishop

The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Ganda, Angola, with territory taken from the diocese of Benguela, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Huambo.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Estêvão Binga, until now auxiliary of Benguela, as the first bishop of Ganda, Angola.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Estêvão Binga was born on 2 September 1966 in Twei, municipality of Quilengues-Huila, in the archdiocese of Lubango. He attended the minor seminary of Cubal in Benguela, and the Bom Pastor preparatory and philosophical seminary in Benguela, studying philosophy at the Creisto Rei major seminary in Huambo. He was ordained a priest on 28 April 1996.

After ordination, he first held the role of prefect of discipline and teacher at the major seminary of Benguela (1996-1997). He was awarded a licentiate and doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Facultad de Teología del Norte de España in Burgos (1997-2002), and went on to serve as prefect of discipline (2003-2005) and teacher (2002-2022) in the major seminary of Benguela, collaborator in the parish of Our Lady of the Navigators in Benguela (2004-2022), rector of the major seminary of Benguela (2005-2022), president of the diocesan Commission for Study and Refresher Sessions (2005-2022), and professor in various institutes of higher education (2010-2022).

On 3 November 2021 he was appointed titular bishop of Nasbinca and auxiliary of Benguela, and was consecrated on 6 February 2022.

Statistical data

The territory of the diocese of Benguela, after dismemberment, is made up of the civil territories of Baía Farta, Benguela, Catumbela, Lobito, Bocoio and Balombo. The territory of the new diocese of Ganda is made up of the territories of: Chongoroi, Caimbambo, Cubal, Ganda and Tchindjendje.

1. The following are the statistical data of the dioceses of Benguela, after dismemberment:

2. The following are the statistical data of the new diocese of Ganda: