Archdiocese of Alger

Archidioecesis Algeriensis

Bishop(s)

Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P., Cardinal, Archbishop
Paul Jacques Marie Desfarges, S.J., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 25 July 1866
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Algeria
Square Kilometers: 54,900 (21,205 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Archeveche, 13 rue Khelifa-Boukhalfa, 16000 Alger-Gare, Algerie
Telephone: (021)63.37.18

Historical Details

Diocese of Alger
- Latin Name: Algeriensis
- Erected: 10 August 1838
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Aix (-Arles-Embrun)
- Country: Algeria

Past and Present Ordinaries

Antoine-Louis-Adolphe Dupuch † (13 Sep 1838 Confirmed - 16 Mar 1846 Resigned)
Louis-Antoine-Augustin Pavy † (16 Apr 1846 Confirmed - 16 Nov 1866 Died)
Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie † (27 Mar 1867 Confirmed - 26 Nov 1892 Died)
Prosper Auguste Dusserre † (25 Nov 1892 Succeeded - 30 Dec 1897 Died)
Frédéric-Henri Oury † (28 Nov 1898 Confirmed - 15 Dec 1907 Resigned)
Barthélemy Clément Combes † (28 Nov 1908 Appointed - 2 Jan 1917 Resigned)
Augustin-Fernand Leynaud † (2 Jan 1917 Appointed - 5 Aug 1953 Died)
Léon-Etienne Duval † (3 Feb 1954 Appointed - 19 Apr 1988 Retired)
Henri Antoine Marie Teissier † (19 Apr 1988 Succeeded - 24 May 2008 Retired)
Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader (24 May 2008 Appointed - 23 May 2015 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan)
Paul Jacques Marie Desfarges, S.J. (24 Dec 2016 Appointed - 27 Dec 2021 Retired)
Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P. (27 Dec 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Alger
10 August 1838	Erected	Diocese of Islas Canarias {Canary Islands}	Diocese of Alger (erected)
1843	Territory Lost	Diocese of Alger Diocese of Islas Canarias {Canary Islands}	Vicariate Apostolic of Tunis (erected)
25 July 1866	Territory Lost	Diocese of Alger	Diocese of Constantine (erected) Diocese of Oran (erected)
Archdiocese of Alger
25 July 1866	Elevated	Diocese of Alger	Archdiocese of Alger

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

Archdiocese of Alger

1949 330,000 2,765,000 11.9% 150 171 321 1,028 171 892 146 ap1951

1959 350,000 3,200,000 10.9% 197 154 351 997 212 1,043 152 ap1960

1970 50,000 4,477,441 1.1% 89 93 182 274 1 128 711 52 ap1971

1980 35,000 6,718,000 .5% 54 53 107 327 2 67 276 46 ap1981

1988 28,000 9,100,000 .3% 59 38 97 288 2 50 205 35 ap1991

1999 1,250 11,800,000 .0% 15 26 41 30 1 31 67 14 ap2000

2000 1,150 12,300,000 .0% 18 29 47 24 1 35 68 15 ap2001

2001 1,250 13,500,000 .0% 18 30 48 26 1 36 68 15 ap2002

2002 1,500 9,000,000 .0% 18 27 45 33 1 33 71 15 ap2003

2003 1,500 9,002,500 .0% 18 25 43 34 1 32 71 15 ap2004

2004 1,500 9,002,000 .0% 17 19 36 41 1 25 74 13 ap2005

2006 1,500 9,502,000 .0% 18 27 45 33 1 39 71 16 ap2007

2012 1,530 10,585,000 .0% 8 24 32 47 30 67 14 ap2013

2015 1,500 11,266,000 .0% 6 30 36 41 37 63 10 ap2016

2020 4,090 12,249,800 .0% 10 22 32 127 26 52 9 ap2021

2022 4,000 12,470,000 .0% 9 26 35 114 32 55 9 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Alger
1949	330,000	2,765,000	11.9%	150	171	321	1,028		171	892	146	ap1951
1959	350,000	3,200,000	10.9%	197	154	351	997		212	1,043	152	ap1960
1970	50,000	4,477,441	1.1%	89	93	182	274	1	128	711	52	ap1971
1980	35,000	6,718,000	.5%	54	53	107	327	2	67	276	46	ap1981
1988	28,000	9,100,000	.3%	59	38	97	288	2	50	205	35	ap1991
1999	1,250	11,800,000	.0%	15	26	41	30	1	31	67	14	ap2000
2000	1,150	12,300,000	.0%	18	29	47	24	1	35	68	15	ap2001
2001	1,250	13,500,000	.0%	18	30	48	26	1	36	68	15	ap2002
2002	1,500	9,000,000	.0%	18	27	45	33	1	33	71	15	ap2003
2003	1,500	9,002,500	.0%	18	25	43	34	1	32	71	15	ap2004
2004	1,500	9,002,000	.0%	17	19	36	41	1	25	74	13	ap2005
2006	1,500	9,502,000	.0%	18	27	45	33	1	39	71	16	ap2007
2012	1,530	10,585,000	.0%	8	24	32	47		30	67	14	ap2013
2015	1,500	11,266,000	.0%	6	30	36	41		37	63	10	ap2016
2020	4,090	12,249,800	.0%	10	22	32	127		26	52	9	ap2021
2022	4,000	12,470,000	.0%	9	26	35	114		32	55	9	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader (Archbishop: 24 May 2008 to 23 May 2015)
Paul Jacques Marie Desfarges, S.J. (Apostolic Administrator: 23 May 2015; Archbishop: 24 Dec 2016 to 27 Dec 2021)
Alphonse Émile Georger (Priest: 29 Jun 1965 to 10 Jul 1998)
Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P. (Archbishop: 27 Dec 2021 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Paul-Raphaël Abi Mourad †
Salvator-Alexandre-Félix-Carmel Brincat † (Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Jun 1889 to 1903)
Bl. Pierre Lucien Claverie, O.P. †
Barthélemy Clément Combes † (Archbishop: 28 Nov 1908 to 2 Jan 1917)
Antoine-Louis-Adolphe Dupuch † (Bishop: 13 Sep 1838 to 16 Mar 1846)
Prosper Auguste Dusserre † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 27 Feb 1880; Archbishop: 25 Nov 1892 to 30 Dec 1897)
Léon-Etienne Duval † (Archbishop: 3 Feb 1954 to 19 Apr 1988)
Gaston-Marie Jacquier † (Priest: 18 Dec 1926; Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Dec 1960 to 8 Jul 1976)
Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie † (Archbishop: 27 Mar 1867 to 26 Nov 1892)
Augustin-Fernand Leynaud † (Archbishop: 2 Jan 1917 to 5 Aug 1953)
Frédéric-Henri Oury † (Archbishop: 28 Nov 1898 to 15 Dec 1907)
Louis-Antoine-Augustin Pavy † (Bishop: 16 Apr 1846 to 16 Nov 1866)
Paul-Pierre-Marie-Joseph Pinier † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Dec 1947 to 27 Mar 1954)
Alexandre Piquemal † (Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Feb 1909 to 4 Jun 1920)
Pierre-Jean-Joseph Soubiranne † (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Dec 1871 to 27 Feb 1880)
Henri Antoine Marie Teissier † (Deacon: 29 Jun 1954; Priest: 24 Mar 1955 to 30 Nov 1972; Coadjutor Archbishop: 20 Dec 1980; Archbishop: 19 Apr 1988 to 24 May 2008)

Source(s)

Diocese of Alger
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 68
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 89
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 486
Archdiocese of Alger
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 9, Page 47

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