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Pope Francis Appoints Clergy of Zimbabwe’s Hwange Diocese Bishop for Gokwe Diocese

Mons. Eusebius Jelous Nyathi, a member of the Clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Hwange in Zimbabwe appointed Bishop of Gokwe Diocese. Credit: Gokwe Diocese

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Eusebius Jelous Nyathi, a member of the Clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Hwange in Zimbabwe, Bishop for the Southern African country’s Gokwe Diocese.

The appointment of Mons. Jelous was made public by the Holy See Press Office on Friday, June 23, and confirmed by the Apostolic Nunciature in Zimbabwe on the same day.

Gokwe Diocese became vacant in September 2020 following the transfer of Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro, who had been at the helm of the Zimbabwean Diocese since January 2017 to Gweru Diocese.

Born in August 1974 in Hwange Diocese, the Bishop-elect was ordained a Priest for the same Diocese in June 2004 after completing his studies in philosophy and theology from Chishawasha National Seminary in the Archdiocese of Harare.

The Alumnus of the Diocesan Seminary of Tenerife in Spain where he took Postgraduate Studies in Theology has been serving as Rector of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More National Major Seminary in Chishawasha in the country’s Archdiocese of Harare.

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Mons. Jelous has previously served in various positions, including Vice-Rector of the Diocesan Minor Seminary and Vice-Promoter of Vocations, Mission Leader, and Director of the Chimuniko Pastoral Centre.

The Zimbabwean Bishop-elect has also served as the Rector of the Diocesan Minor Seminary, Promoter of Vocations, and Diocesan Delegate for the ongoing formation of the Clergy.

At the national level, Mons. Jelous has served as a lecturer and Formator at Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More National Major Seminary, and Vice-Rector at the same Major Seminary.

Once consecrated, he is set to become the fourth Bishop of Gokwe Diocese, which has a population of 82,516 Catholics, representing 11.6 percent of the total population in the Zimbabwean Episcopal See, according to 2021 statistics

The 26,000 square-kilometer Diocese that was erected in June 1991 is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Harare.

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