Diocese of Uvira

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Uvira is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church located in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Established on 16 April 1962, the diocese encompasses the pastoral zones of Uvira Territory, Fizi Territory, and Mwenga Territory, and it partially includes the territories of Walungu Territory and Kabambare Territory. It is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bukavu.

Location and history

The Diocese of Uvira covers an extensive geographic area of approximately 36,000 square kilometers, encompassing a population of around 1.5 million people. Among this population, nearly 500,000 are adherents of the Roman Catholic faith. The diocese stretches diverse terrain, including mountainous areas, plateaus, and the lowland plain of the Ruzizi valley bordering Lake Tanganyika.
The Diocese of Uvira was erected from parts of neighboring dioceses and territories to serve the growing Catholic population in South Kivu. The diocese has played a pivotal role in the spiritual and socio-educational development of the region, promoting education, healthcare, and humanitarian services alongside its pastoral mission.

Bishops

Bishops of Uvira

Name	Tenure	Detail
Danilo Catarzi	16 April 1962–26 March 1981
Léonard Dhejju	26 March 1981–2 July 1984	Appointed Bishop of Bunia
Jérôme Gapangwa Nteziryayo	1 July 1985–1998
Jean-Pierre Tafunga Mbayo	1998–2008
Sede vacante	1 August 2008–14 October 2013
Sébastien-Joseph Muyengo Mulombe	Since 15 October 2013

Organization

Episcopal Curia and personnel

The diocese is overseen by the Episcopal Curia, which manages both administrative and pastoral duties. At its head is the Apostolic Administrator, Mgr. François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo, who governs the diocese in the absence of a resident bishop. He is supported by Vicar General Flavien Milenge Munene, Chancellor Etienne Esube Kalenga Batundji, and Economist General Abbé Lucien Kasangadjo, who oversees financial and material management.
The diocesan personnel is composed of a dedicated body of clergy and religious, including 69 diocesan priests, 20 male religious, and 76 female religious, who carry out various pastoral, educational, and social missions. The Diocese of Uvira is organized into 18 parishes, with one principal church serving as its cathedral. In its commitment to education and social welfare, the diocese operates 281 educational institutions and 31 charitable institutions across its territory. The clergy includes secular priests and members of religious congregations and missionary orders.

Pastoral zones and parishes

The Diocese of Uvira is divided into three pastoral zones:

Pastoral Zone	Parish/location	Year founded	Notable Institutions/services
Zone Pastorale de la Plaine de la Ruzizi	Uvira	1933	Diocesan pharmacy, health center, cultural center Baeza la Parokia
	Kavimvira	–	Site of the Marian sanctuary and a reference health center
	Kiliba	1959	It has a pharmacy and a health center
	Luvungi	1967	Includes a garage, social center, and health reference center
	Mulenge-Kidote	1963	Includes a social center
Zone Pastorale de Fizi	Fizi	1962	Multiple social centers
	Baraka	1948	Dispensary, social services
	Mboko	1973	Nutritional center, dispensary
	Nakiliza	1955	–
Zone Pastorale de Mwenga	Mwenga	1959	Social center, reference health center
	Saint-Hilaire	1928	Petit Séminaire Notre-Dame d’Afrique
	Kamituga	1948	Training center for laity, services for the disabled
	Kitutu	1967	Social center, reference health center
	Kasiba	1972	–
	Minembwe	1992	–

Works, services, and socio-educational mission

The diocese operates a broad network of institutions and services that support its religious mission and community development efforts, including the General Finance Office, which oversees the financial management of diocesan operations. For religious education, the diocese operates the Spiritual Propedeutic Seminary Saint-Pierre Claver of Kiringye, founded in 1992 to prepare men for the priesthood. Its social mission is evident in the Bethany Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled, which helps persons with disabilities, and the Caritas Medical Center, which provides healthcare to underprivileged communities. The Catechetical Center, located in Kavimvira, reinforces religious teachings, while the Formation Center for Lay Collaborators in Kamituga trains laypeople to actively support the Church's pastoral mission.
In educational and social services, it manages a network of 281 schools, covering primary, secondary, and vocational training levels that prepare youth for various vocations. It also runs 31 charitable organizations, which include healthcare and social service centers.