Toamasina (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Désiré Tsarahazana, Cardinal, Archbishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 26 February 2010
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Madagascar
Square Kilometers: 23,690 (9,150 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Archeveche, 11 rue du Commerce, B.P. 98, Toamasina 501, Madagascar
Telephone: (034)34.03.027.96;(020)53.321.28
Fax: 53.330.53

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Vatomandry
- Latin Name: de Vatomandry
- Erected: 18 June 1935
- Country: Madagascar
Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave
- Latin Name: Tamatavensis
- Elevated: 25 May 1939
- Vicariate
- Country: Madagascar
Diocese of Tamatave
- Latin Name: Tamatavensis
- Elevated: 14 September 1955
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Antsiranana
- Country: Madagascar
Diocese of Toamasina
- Latin Name: Toamasinensis
- Name Changed: 31 January 1990
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Antsiranana
- Country: Madagascar

Past and Present Ordinaries

Alain-Sébastien Le Breton, S.M.M. † (8 Oct 1935 Appointed - 15 Mar 1957 Resigned)
Jules-Joseph Puset, S.M.M. † (14 Nov 1957 Appointed - 25 Mar 1972 Resigned)
Jérôme Razafindrazaka † (25 Mar 1972 Appointed - 15 May 1989 Retired)
René Joseph Rakotondrabé † (15 May 1989 Appointed - 24 Nov 2008 Retired)
Désiré Tsarahazana (24 Nov 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Vatomandry
18 June 1935	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Fianarantsoa (Nosivarilca and Marolambo) Vicariate Apostolic of Tananarive (Vatomandry and Mahanoro)	Prefecture Apostolic of Vatomandry (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave
25 May 1939	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Diégo-Suarez (Part of Tamatave) Vicariate Apostolic of Tananarive (Brickaville and part of Tamatave) Prefecture Apostolic of Vatomandry	Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave
Diocese of Tamatave
14 September 1955	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave	Diocese of Tamatave
9 April 1968	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa (Manajary and Ifanadiana) Diocese of Tamatave (Nosy-Varika)	Diocese of Mananjary (erected)
21 June 1974	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Tamatave
Diocese of Toamasina
31 January 1990	Name Changed	Diocese of Tamatave	Diocese of Toamasina
Archdiocese of Toamasina
26 February 2010	Elevated	Diocese of Toamasina	Archdiocese of Toamasina

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave

1950 41,849 371,500 11.3% 36 36 1,162 62 37 2 ap1951

Diocese of Tamatave

1970 74,009 480,169 15.4% 4 51 55 1,345 59 65 6 ap1971

1980 88,237 565,000 15.6% 7 32 39 2,262 53 41 7 ap1981

1990 84,240 622,517 13.5% 8 35 43 1,959 55 87 14 ap1991

Diocese of Toamasina

1999 299,000 1,300,000 23.0% 5 24 29 10,310 44 57 22 ap2000

2000 304,980 1,326,000 23.0% 9 32 41 7,438 42 57 22 ap2001

2001 450,000 1,620,000 27.8% 13 41 54 8,333 63 57 23 ap2002

2002 500,000 1,730,000 28.9% 14 26 40 12,500 50 60 20 ap2003

2003 520,000 1,740,000 29.9% 14 39 53 9,811 60 59 23 ap2004

2004 600,000 1,800,000 33.3% 14 32 46 13,043 65 60 23 ap2005

Archdiocese of Toamasina

2010 616,984 1,973,089 31.3% 20 27 47 13,127 68 92 19 ap2011

2014 620,022 1,992,866 31.1% 22 37 59 10,508 82 103 21 ap2015

2017 619,625 1,989,105 31.2% 27 38 65 9,532 93 123 21 ap2018

2020 503,669 1,526,270 33.0% 29 36 65 7,748 88 116 25 ap2021

2022 518,544 1,605,102 32.3% 34 57 91 5,698 107 156 28 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave
1950	41,849	371,500	11.3%		36	36	1,162	62	37	2	ap1951
Diocese of Tamatave
1970	74,009	480,169	15.4%	4	51	55	1,345	59	65	6	ap1971
1980	88,237	565,000	15.6%	7	32	39	2,262	53	41	7	ap1981
1990	84,240	622,517	13.5%	8	35	43	1,959	55	87	14	ap1991
Diocese of Toamasina
1999	299,000	1,300,000	23.0%	5	24	29	10,310	44	57	22	ap2000
2000	304,980	1,326,000	23.0%	9	32	41	7,438	42	57	22	ap2001
2001	450,000	1,620,000	27.8%	13	41	54	8,333	63	57	23	ap2002
2002	500,000	1,730,000	28.9%	14	26	40	12,500	50	60	20	ap2003
2003	520,000	1,740,000	29.9%	14	39	53	9,811	60	59	23	ap2004
2004	600,000	1,800,000	33.3%	14	32	46	13,043	65	60	23	ap2005
Archdiocese of Toamasina
2010	616,984	1,973,089	31.3%	20	27	47	13,127	68	92	19	ap2011
2014	620,022	1,992,866	31.1%	22	37	59	10,508	82	103	21	ap2015
2017	619,625	1,989,105	31.2%	27	38	65	9,532	93	123	21	ap2018
2020	503,669	1,526,270	33.0%	29	36	65	7,748	88	116	25	ap2021
2022	518,544	1,605,102	32.3%	34	57	91	5,698	107	156	28	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Alain-Sébastien Le Breton, S.M.M. † (Prefect: 8 Oct 1935; Vicar Apostolic: 25 May 1939; Bishop: 14 Sep 1955 to 15 Mar 1957)
Jules-Joseph Puset, S.M.M. † (Bishop: 14 Nov 1957 to 25 Mar 1972)
René Joseph Rakotondrabé † (Bishop: 15 May 1989 to 24 Nov 2008)
Jérôme Razafindrazaka † (Bishop: 25 Mar 1972 to 15 May 1989)

Source(s)

Prefecture Apostolic of Vatomandry
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 28, Page 96, and Page 97
Vicariate Apostolic of Tamatave
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 31, Page 381, and Page 382
Diocese of Tamatave
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 48, Page 113, to Page 119
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 66, Page 416

Archdiocese of Toamasina