Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Madagascar

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antsiranana is one of five Metropolitan Latin Archdioceses in Madagascar. Although it has its ecclesiastical province, it remains subject to the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is Cathédrale Saint-Matthieu, dedicated to the Apostle Matthew, in Antsiranana.

It was established on 1896.01.16 as Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Madagascar, on territory split off from the then Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar (now Metropolitan Archbishopric of Antanarivo)

On 1913.05.20 it was renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Diégo-Suarez. On 1923.03.15 it lost territory to establish the then Apostolic Vicariate of Majunga On 1955.09.14 it was promoted as Diocese of Diégo-Suarez

Promoted on 1958.12.11 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Diégo-Suarez, during the transition from French colony to independence. On 1959.05.21 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Ambatondrazaka. It enjoyed a Papal visit by Pope John Paul II in April 1989.

Renamed on 1989.10.28 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana. On 2000.10.30 it lost further territory to establish the Diocese of Fenoarivo Atsinanana.

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Antsiranana has the following suffragan sees :

As per 2014, it pastorally served 662,873 Catholics (42.1% of 1,573,833 total) on 37,924 km² in 26 parishes with 65 priests (51 diocesan, 14 religious), 194 lay religious (42 brothers, 152 sisters) and 54 seminarians.

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