Mozambique's Maputo Auxiliary Bishop Appointed Local Ordinary of Country's Quelimane Diocese

Maputo, 25 July, 2025 / 8:31 PM

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Osório Citora Afonso, one of the Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Maputo in Mozambique, the Local Ordinary of the country’s Quelimane Catholic Diocese. 

The appointment of Bishop Afonso to be at the helm of the Mozambican Diocese was made public on Friday, July 25, as published by the Holy See Press Office.

Quelimane Catholic Diocese has been vacant since August 2023 following the transfer of Bishop Hilário da Cruz Massinga to the Catholic Diocese of Inhambane.

Bishop Afonso, a member of the Institute of Consolata Missionaries was ordained a Priest in November 2002 after completing his theological studies at St. Eugene Mazenod Theological Seminary in the Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

As a Priest, he served in various capacities, including Parish Vicar and Bursar of St. Hilaire Parish or Kinshasa Archdiocese, Formator and Bursar of the Theological Seminary of Kinshasa, and Local collaborator at the Apostolic Nunciature in DRC, among other Priestly services. 

He obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Rome-based Pontifical Biblical Institute.

Prior to his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop, he served as an official at the Dicastery for Evangelization in the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.

In September 2023, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo, receiving Episcopal Ordination in January 2024.

Bishop Afonso is currently Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM).

Once installed Bishop, Bishop Afonso will become the fourth Local Ordinary of Quelimane Diocese that measures 57,798 square-kilometer, with a population of 1,366,593 Catholics, according to 2025 statistics.