Profile of the Eparchy of Adigrat

Boundaries and Population

The actual Eparchy of Adigrat, subject to various modifications of the ecclesiastical boundaries, is the continuation of the Vicariate of Abyssinia after replacing the Prefecture of Tigray, which had been established on 25th March 1937. Following the Apostolic Constitution "Quod Venerabilis" of 20th February 1961 the jurisdiction became the Eparchy of Adigrat and the first Eparch was Abune Hailemariam Kahsay.

            At present, the Eparchy of Adigrat covers the whole Regional Sate of Tigray (Note that the western end of Tigray i.e. Humera, Tselemti, Wolkait and Tsegedie is included into Adigrat Diocese by the “Decretum” issued on December 18, 1999), and northeastern parts of Afar Regional State (Zone 2).
Area:                 Tigray  80,000 sq km approx.  Afar (Zone 2)  52,000 sq km approx.
TOTAL area:  132,000 sq km approx. (which is about 4 ½ times the size of Belgium, or about 3 times the size of Switzerland,  or more than 1 ½ the size of Austria)
Population:      Tigray  3,797,000 approx.   Afar (Zone 2) 234,645 approx.      
TOTAL population within Eparchy:  4,031,645
The Eparchy has approximately 20,000 catholic faithful, 32 parishes, 4 outstations, 13 male and female formation houses (seminaries), and 1 Major Seminary / institute of philosophy and theological faculty which is affiliated to Pontifical Urbaniana University. Existing religious communities in the diocese are: Society of Missionaries of Africa (1967), Religious Teachers of St.Lucy Filippini (1969), Daughters of Charity (1973), Salesians of Don Bosco (1975), Missionaries of Charity (1984), Ursuline Sisters (1991), Daughters of St. Anna (1994), Salesian Sisters (FMA) of St. John Bosco (1994), Lazarists - Congregation of Mission (2000), and Sisters of Charity of St.Jeanne-Antide (2003).