OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 4, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Auchi (area 6,116, population 723,905, Catholics 63,480, priests 39, religious 23), Nigeria with territory taken from the archdiocese of Benin City, Nigeria, making it suffragen of the same Metropolitan Church.

- Appointed Fr. Gabriel Ghiakhomo Dunia, professor at the Major Seminary and pastor at Okpeke, Nigeria as first bishop of Auchi. The bishop-elect was born in Obobo, Nigeria in 1957 and was ordained a priest in 1989.

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