Diocese of Oran, Algeria

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, Oran
Former Cathedral (now secular): Ancienne cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur, Oran
Former Cathedral (now secular): Ex-Église Saint-Louis, Oran

Rabat (←), Alger–Iulia Caesarea (→), Laghouat (↘)

Present Prelates

Bishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2021.12.27 – ...):	Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P. (61) Metropolitan Archbishop of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Oran (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P. (61)
(Apostolic Administrator 2021.12.27 – ...)

Bishop Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P. (61) (later Archbishop)
(2012.12.01 – 2021.12.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria)
Apostolic Administrator of Oran (Algeria)

Je veux vivre et donner envie de vivre

Born:	1962.03.10 (Lyon, France)
Ordained Priest:	2001.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.01.25

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (2012.12.01 – 2021.12.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria) (2021.12.27 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Oran (Algeria) (2021.12.27 – ...)

Bishop Alphonse Émile Georger (87)
(1998.07.10 – 2012.12.01)

Bishop emeritus of Oran (Algeria)

Service supérieur à soi

Born:	1936.05.25 (Sarreguemines, France)
Ordained Priest:	1965.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.08.16

Priest of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria) (1965.06.29 – 1998.07.10)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1998.07.10 – 2012.12.01)

Vice-President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (2006.02 – 2010?)

Blessed Bishop Pierre Lucien Claverie, O.P.
(1981.05.25 – 1996.08.01)

Born:	1938.05.08 (Bab El Oued, Algeria)
Ordained Priest:	1965.07.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.10.02
Died:	1996.08.01 🩸 (Oran, Algeria † 58)
Beatified:	2018.12.08 (Oran, Algeria)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1981.05.25 – 1996.08.01)

Bishop and religious of Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Martyr.

Bishop Henri Antoine Marie Teissier (later Archbishop)
(1972.11.30 – 1980.12.20)

Justice et paix

Born:	1929.07.21 (Lyon, France)
Ordained Priest:	1955.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.02.02
Died:	2020.12.01 (Lyon, France † 91)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1972.11.30 – 1980.12.20)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria) (1980.12.20 – 1988.04.19)

President of Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (1983 – 2004.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Alger–Iulia Caesarea (Algeria) (1988.04.19 – 2008.05.24)

Bishop Bertrand Lacaste
(1945.12.29 – 1972.11.30)

Veni Domine Jesu

Born:	1897.06.26 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1923.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1946.03.25
Died:	1994.04.20 († 96)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1945.12.29 – 1972.11.30)

Bishop Léon-Auguste-Marie-Joseph Durand
(1920.10.11 – 1945.03.20)

Born:	1878.07.27 (Algeria)
Ordained Priest:	1902.03.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.05.03
Died:	1945.03.20 († 66)

Titular Bishop of Etalonia (1919.01.10 – 1919.03.10)

Auxiliary Bishop of Marseille (France) (1919.01.10 – 1920.10.11)

Titular Bishop of Tricomia (1919.03.10 – 1920.10.11)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1920.10.11 – 1945.03.20)

Bishop Christophe-Louis Légasse
(1915.12.06 – 1920.08.13)

Born:	1859.08.24 (France)
Consecrated Bishop:	1916.02.22
Died:	1931.07.30 († 71)

Prefect Apostolic of Îles Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (Saint Pierre and Miquelon) (1899 – 1915.12.06)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1915.12.06 – 1920.08.13)

Bishop of Périgueux (France) (1920.08.13 – 1931.07.30)

Bishop Pierre-Firmin Capmartin
(1911.02.19 – 1914.12.25)

Born:	1855.07.22 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1879.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.04.18
Died:	1914.12.25 († 59)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) (1911.02.19 – 1914.12.25)

Bishop Edouard-Adolphe Cantel
(1898.11.28 – 1910.12.10)

Prædicamus Jesum salvatorem mundi

Born:	1836.06.22 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1860.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1899.02.24
Died:	1910.12.10 († 74)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1898.07.08] 1898.11.28 – 1910.12.10)

Bishop Géraud-Marie Soubrier (later Archbishop)
(1886.06.10 – 1898.03.24)

Caritas erigens pauperum

Born:	1826.01.13
Ordained Priest:	1849
Consecrated Bishop:	1886.10.02
Died:	1899.08.10 († 73)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1886.03.02] 1886.06.10 – 1898.03.24)

Titular Archbishop of Samosata (1898.03.24 – 1899.08.10)

Bishop Noël-Mathieu-Victor-Marie Gaussail
(1884.03.27 – 1886.06.10)

Aperiet cœlum

Born:	1825.12.24 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1850
Consecrated Bishop:	1884.05.01
Died:	1899.02.16 († 73)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1884.01.10] 1884.03.27 – 1886.06.10)

Bishop of Perpignan–Elne (France) ([1886.03.02] 1886.06.10 – 1899.02.16)

Bishop Pierre-Marie-Etienne-Gustave Ardin (later Archbishop)
(1880.02.27 – 1884.03.27)

Born:	1840.12.26 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1864
Consecrated Bishop:	1880.05.01
Died:	1911.11.21 († 70)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1880.02.12] 1880.02.27 – 1884.03.27)

Bishop of La Rochelle (France) ([1884.01.10] 1884.03.27 – 1892.07.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Sens (France) ([1892.04.02] 1892.07.11 – 1911.11.21)

Bishop Louis-Joseph-Marie-Ange Vigne (later Archbishop)
(1876.04.03 – 1880.02.27)

In vinculis caritatis

Born:	1826.12.15 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1850.05.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1876.05.27
Died:	1895.11.09 († 68)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1876.03.01] 1876.04.03 – 1880.02.27)

Bishop of Digne (France) ([1880.01.30] 1880.02.27 – 1885.03.27)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Avignon (France) ([1885.01.13] 1885.03.27 – 1895.11.09)

Archbishop Charles-Martial Allemand-Lavigerie (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator 1875.11.09 – 1876.04.03)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste-Irénée Callot
(1867.07.12 – 1875.11.01)

Veritatem in caritate facientes

Born:	1814.11.22 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1838
Consecrated Bishop:	1867.09.22
Died:	1875.11.01 († 60)

Bishop of Oran (Algeria) ([1867.01.12] 1867.07.12 – 1875.11.01)

Contact Info

Website:

Statistics

Area: 77,353 km²

Population: 1,600 Catholics (0.0% of 10,515,830 total) (2021)

Statistics: 6 parishes, 11 priests (4 diocesan, 7 religious), 50 religious (17 brothers, 33 sisters), 1 seminarian (2021)

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 26

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1866.07.25: Established as Diocese of Oran (français) / Oran (English) / Nueva Orán (español) / Orano (Italiano) / Oranen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Alger–Iulia Caesarea and became suffragan of Alger–Iulia Caesarea)