Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic
Metropolitan
Archdiocese
of Kuala Lumpur
is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
of the Roman Catholic Church
in Malaysia. It was erected as the Diocese of Kuala Lumpur by Pope Pius XII
on February 25, 1955, and was elevated to the rank of a Metropolitan Archdiocese
on December 18, 1972, with the suffragan sees
of Melaka-Johor
and Penang
. It also administers the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
and the states of Selangor
, Negeri Sembilan
, Pahang
, Terengganu
.
The archdiocese's Mother Church
and thus, seat of its Archbishop, is St. John's Cathedral
. The current Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur is Archbishop
Tan Sri Datuk Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam
, having been appointed by Pope John Paul II
on May 24, 2003.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Archdiocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Malaysia. It was erected as the Diocese of Kuala Lumpur by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
on February 25, 1955, and was elevated to the rank of a Metropolitan Archdiocese
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
on December 18, 1972, with the suffragan sees
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of Melaka-Johor
Roman Catholic Diocese of Melaka-Johor
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Malacca-Johor is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Ecclesiastical province of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia...
and Penang
Roman Catholic Diocese of Penang
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Penang is situated in the northern region of Malaysia covering 5 states, namely Penang, Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. It was created in 25 February 1955 together with the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.-History:...
. It also administers the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and the states of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
, Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
, Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
.
The archdiocese's Mother Church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
and thus, seat of its Archbishop, is St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur
St John's Cathedral is a whitewashed cathedral with twin spires, located to the north of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. It is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur and the seat of its Archbishop, Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam. It was opened in 1883, making...
. The current Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur is Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Tan Sri Datuk Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam
Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam
Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam is the third metropolitan archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia....
, having been appointed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on May 24, 2003.
List of Bishops and Archbishops of Kuala Lumpur
- Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Dominic Vendargon (1955 - 1983)
- Archbishop Emeritus Anthony Soter FernandezAnthony Soter FernandezAnthony Soter Fernandez is Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He became the Archdiocese's second Archbishop upon his appointment on 30 July 1983 by Pope John Paul II, and was installed on 10 November 1983...
(1983 - 2003) - ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Tan Sri Murphy Nicholas Xavier PakiamMurphy Nicholas Xavier PakiamMurphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam is the third metropolitan archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia....
(2003 - present)
See also
- Roman Catholicism in MalaysiaRoman Catholicism in MalaysiaThe Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome....
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Malaysia
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)-Episcopal Conference of Malaysia