Diocese of Dedza
diocese of the Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dedza (Latin: Dedzaën(sis)) is a diocese seated in the city of Dedza, in the ecclesiastical province of Lilongwe in Malawi.
History
1956-04-29: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Dedza from the Apostolic Vicariate of Likuni and Apostolic Vicariate of Zomba
1959-04-25: Promoted as Diocese of Dedza
Bishops
Vicar Apostolic of Dedza (Roman rite)
Bishop Cornelius Chitsulo (1956-11-09 – 1959-04-25 see below)
Bishops of Dedza (Roman rite)
Bishop Cornelius Chitsulo (see above 1959-04-25 – 1984-02-28)
Bishop Gervazio Moses Chisendera (1984-06-25 – 2000-09-07)
Bishop Rémi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr. (2000-09-07 – 2006-02-18), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lilongwe
Bishop Emmanuele Kanyama (2007-07-04 – 2018-02-17)
Bishop Peter Adrian Chifukwa (2021.05.08 – ...)
Auxiliary Bishops
Rémi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie, M. Afr.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Diocese of Dedza” as diocese of the Catholic Church. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as diocese of the Catholic Church. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 15, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q868314. Authority coordinates are -14.356, 34.428. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1956, 1959, 1984 and 2000.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Diocese of Dedza”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Diocese of Dedza primary sources, Diocese of Dedza archive and Diocese research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Diocese of Dedza”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Diocese of Dedza” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.