Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Nassau

Bahamas

Continent: Central America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Nassau / Nassavien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Hamilton, Turks and Caicos Islands

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Francis Xavier (December 3)

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1929.03.21: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Bahama / de Bahamas (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of New York)
1941.01.15: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Bahama Islands (English)
1960.07.05: Promoted as Diocese of Nassau / Nassavien(sis) (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)
1970.09.08: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
1984.06.10: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Turks and Caicos Islands
1999.06.22: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nassau / Nassavien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Hamilton and Turks and Caicos Islands)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1979.02)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2004.02.17 – ...):

Archbishop Patrick Christopher Pinder (72)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Nassau (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Patrick Christopher Pinder (72)
(2004.02.17 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nassau (Bahamas)

Of one heart and mind

Born:	1953.11.01 (Nassau, Bahamas)
Ordained Priest:	1980.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.08.15

Priest of Nassau (Bahamas) (1980.08.15 – 2003.06.27)

Titular Bishop of Casæ Calanæ (2003.06.27 – 2004.02.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Nassau (Bahamas) (2003.06.27 – 2004.02.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nassau (Bahamas) (2004.02.17 – ...)

President of Antilles Episcopal Conference (2011.05.11 – 2017.05.04)

Archbishop Lawrence Aloysius Burke, S.J.
(1999.06.22 – 2004.02.17)

Born:	1932.10.27 (Kingston, Jamaica)
Ordained Priest:	1964.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.10.11
Died:	2010.01.24 († 77)

Bishop of Nassau (Bahamas) (1981.07.17 – 1999.06.22)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Turks and Caicos Islands (Turks and Caicos Islands) (1984.06.10 – 1998.10.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Nassau (Bahamas) (1999.06.22 – 2004.02.17)

President of Antilles Episcopal Conference (2003.05 – 2008.05)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kingston in Jamaica (Jamaica) (2004.02.17 – 2008.04.12)

Bishops of Nassau (Roman Rite)

Bishop Lawrence Aloysius Burke, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1981.07.17 – 1999.06.22)

(see above)

Bishop Paul Leonard Hagarty, O.S.B.
(1960.07.05 – 1981.06.17)

Born:	1909.03.20 (Greene, IA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1936.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.10.19
Died:	1984.09.22 († 75)

Titular Bishop of Arba (1950.06.25 – 1960.07.05)

Vicar Apostolic of Bahama Islands (Bahamas) (1950.06.25 – 1960.07.05)

Bishop of Nassau (Bahamas) (1960.07.05 – 1981.06.17)

Vicars Apostolic of Bahama Islands (Roman Rite)

Bishop Paul Leonard Hagarty, O.S.B.
(1950.06.25 – 1960.07.05)

(see above)

Bishop John Bernard Kevenhoerster, O.S.B.
(1941.01.15 – 1949.12.09)

Born:	1869.11.01 (Essen, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1896.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1933.12.21
Died:	1949.12.09 (Nassau, Bahamas † 80)

Prefect Apostolic of Bahama (Bahamas) (1931.05.22 – 1941.01.15)

Titular Bishop of Camuliana (1933.10.27 – 1949.12.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Bahama Islands (Bahamas) (1941.01.15 – 1949.12.09)

Prefects Apostolic of Bahama (Roman Rite)

Bishop John Bernard Kevenhoerster, O.S.B.
(1931.05.22 – 1941.01.15)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Patrick Christopher Pinder (72) (later Archbishop) (2003.06.27 – 2004.02.17)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Nassau
Former Cathedral: Old Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, Nassau
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (41)

Miami (↖), Palm Beach (↖), Turks and Caicos Islands (↘), Ciego de Ávila (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 13,878 km²

Population: 52,517 Catholics (13.2% of 397,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 30 parishes

Personnel: 20 priests (17 diocesan, 3 religious), 17 deacons, 13 religious (3 brothers, 10 sisters), 1 seminarian

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.01.23

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