History

• 1901.07.26: Established as Mission sui juris of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Congo Belge)
• 1904.03.18: Promoted as Apostolic Prefecture of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin)
• 1917.06.13: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Kasaï Supérieur (français) / Upper Kasai (English) / Kasaï Superiore (Italiano) / de Kassai Superiore (Latin)
• 1922.07.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Lulua Katanga
• 1936.05.18: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Tshumbe
• 1937.04.13: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
• 1939.04.25: Lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Ipamu
• 1949.03.10: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Luluabourg / Luluaburgen(sis) (Latin)
• 1953.03.24: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Kabinda and Apostolic Prefecture of Mweka
• 1959.04.25: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Luebo
• 1959.11.10: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Luluabourg / Luluaburgen(sis) (Latin)
• 1963.11.22: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi
• 1967.09.26: Lost territory to Diocese of Luebo, and lost territory to establish Diocese of Lwiza
• 1972.06.14: Renamed as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kananga / Kanangan(us) (Latin)

Special Churches

• Cathedral: Cathédrale Saint Joseph Mikalayi, Kazumba, Kasai-Occidental
• Pro-Cathedral: Pro-cathédrale Saint-Clément, Kananga, Kasai-Occidental

Present Prelates Metropolitan Archbishop (2006.12.09 – ...): Archbishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (65) Ordinaries Metropolitan Archbishops of Kananga (Roman Rite) Archbishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (65) (2006.12.09 – ...) Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) Born: 1955.05.17 (Congo-Kinshasa) Ordained Priest: 1981.08.30 Consecrated Bishop: 2004.05.29 Titular Bishop of Gigthi (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09) Auxiliary Bishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09) Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (2006.12.09 – ...) Archbishop Godefroy Mukeng’a Kalond, C.I.C.M. (90) (1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03) Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) Born: 1930.08.31 (Congo-Kinshasa) Ordained Priest: 1958.03.02 Consecrated Bishop: 1971.12.05 Bishop of Lwiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1971.08.30 – 1997.03.03) Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1997.03.03 – 2006.05.03) Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (1972.06.14 – 1997.03.03) Born: 1920.04.24 (Congo-Kinshasa) Ordained Priest: 1953.03.19 Consecrated Bishop: 1966.09.18 Died: 2000.02.03 († 79) Titular Bishop of Sullectum (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26) Auxiliary Bishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26) Metropolitan Archbishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1972.06.14) Metropolitan Archbishop of Kananga (Congo-Kinshasa) (1972.06.14 – 1997.03.03) Metropolitan Archbishops of Luluabourg (Roman Rite) Archbishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (1967.09.26 – 1972.06.14) (see above) Archbishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26) Born: 1908.11.28 (Belgium) Ordained Priest: 1933.08.15 Consecrated Bishop: 1949.05.17 Died: 1992.11.01 († 83) Titular Bishop of Belali (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10) Vicar Apostolic of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10) Apostolic Administrator of Mweka (Congo-Kinshasa) (1953 – 1957) Metropolitan Archbishop of Luluabourg (Congo-Kinshasa) (1959.11.10 – 1967.09.26) Archbishop-Bishop of Lwiza (Congo-Kinshasa) (1967.09.26 – 1970.10.03) Titular Archbishop of Pulcheriopolis (1970.10.03 – 1986.05.17) Vicars Apostolic of Luluabourg (Roman Rite) Bishop Bernard Mels, C.I.C.M. (later Archbishop) (1949.03.10 – 1959.11.10) (see above) Vicars Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Roman Rite) Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1938.10.29 – 1948.04.22) Born: 1885.06.08 (France) Ordained Priest: 1910.07.17 Consecrated Bishop: 1937.07.26 Died: 1969.07.02 († 84) Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1936.01.23 – 1938.10.29) Titular Bishop of Vescera (1936.01.27 – 1969.07.02) Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1938.10.29 – 1948.04.22) Bishop Auguste De Clercq, C.I.C.M. (1918.08.24 – 1938.10.29) Born: 1870.04.30 (Belgium) Ordained Priest: 1893.07.16 Consecrated Bishop: 1919.01.12 Died: 1939.11.23 († 69) Vicar Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1918.08.24 – 1938.10.29) Titular Bishop of Thignica (1918.08.24 – 1939.11.23) Prefects Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Roman Rite) Fr. Ernest Handekijn (1916 – 1917.06.13) Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1916 – 1917.06.13) Fr. Egide de Boeck, C.I.C.M. (later Bishop) (1913 – 1916) Born: 1875.11.13 (Belgium) Ordained Priest: 1900.07.01 Consecrated Bishop: 1921.05.08 Died: 1944.12.20 († 69) Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1913 – 1916) Vicar Apostolic of Nouvelle-Anvers (Congo-Kinshasa) (1921.01.04 – 1936.01.27) Titular Bishop of Azotus (1921.03.10 – 1944.12.20) Vicar Apostolic of Lisala (Congo-Kinshasa) (1936.01.27 – 1944.12.20) Fr. Eméry Cambier, C.I.C.M. (1904 – 1913) Prefect Apostolic of Kasaï Supérieur (Congo-Kinshasa) (1904 – 1913)

Former Prelates

• Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic:  Bishop Louis-Georges-Firmin Demol, C.I.C.M. (1936.01.23 – 1938.10.29)
• Auxiliary Bishop:  Bishop Marcel Madila Basanguka (65) (later Archbishop) (2004.02.27 – 2006.12.09)
• Auxiliary Bishop:  Bishop Martin-Léonard Bakole wa Ilunga (later Archbishop) (1966.06.21 – 1967.09.26)

as of 2020.12.31

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