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Diocese of Rutana

Rutan(us)

The Diocese of Rutana is a Latin Church diocese in southeastern Burundi, erected on 17 January 2009 from territory of the dioceses of Bururi and Ruyigi. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Gitega and has been led by Bishop Leonidas Nitereka since his consecration in April 2025.

The see

Rank
Suffragan diocese
Tradition
Latin Church
Erected
17 January 2009
Latin
Rutan(us)
Annuario code
001002786

The see in figures

Catholics
259,036
Population
713,652
Catholic shareof the people living within its bounds
36.3%
Priests
58
Catholics per priest
4,466
Extent
2,180 km²
Catholics per km²
119

Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.

The bishop

Bishop
Léonidas Nitereka
Born
1 September 1960
Birthplace
Martyazo

A see whose chair stands empty is recorded as vacant rather than filled with a guess. On what a bishop is, see the bishop.

The cathedral

Cathedrale Saint-Joseph, Rutana stands in Rutana, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.

On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.

The province of Gitega

A suffragan of Archdiocese of Gitega.

The sees of this province:

On how the Church is ordered into provinces, see the diocese.

History

Since 15 February 2025 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rutana in Burundi has been led by Léonidas Nitereka (born 1 September 1960), a Burundian prelate appointed by Pope Francis. Before becoming bishop he served as a priest of the Diocese of Bururi, in Burundi, from 17 August 1986 until 15 February 2025. His episcopal consecration took place at Rutana on 12 April 2025 at the hands of Dieudonné Datonou, Titular Archbishop of Vico Equense.

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Sources

The see's own website · Wikipedia

Compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. Corrections: hello@catholicintelligence.com.