FRENCH CONGO - MIDDLE CONGO (CONGO BRAZZAVILLE)




VICARIATE APOSTOLIC OF FRENCH CONGO*

Before the actual introducction of Catholicims, in what was to become French Congo,
in 1882 - 1883, there had already been some earlier failed attempts :

- in 1663 the King (Maloango) of the important coastal state of Loango converted to
  Catholicism (adpting the name Affonso I). 
  In 1664 an animist reaction ended catholic presence. It was restored in 1665 when
  King Affonso's son took power. Thereafter nothing more was heard of the catholic
  mission, but all seems to indicate that by the middle of the following century
  all traces of the religion had disappeared.

- in 1768 French missionaries decided to revive the ancient mission in Loango, now
  an important trading partner of France. Their first presence lated until 1770,
  when the survivors of the mission returned to France. A second attempt was made
  in 1773 - 1776, but once again the mission had to be abandoned.

In 1886 the missions in French Congo - till then dependending of two neighbouring
jurisdictions (the Apostolic Prefecture of the Congo and the Apostolic Vicariate
of the Two Guinees) - were regrouped into the new Apostolic Vicariate of the French
Congo.

Vicar Apostolic 

1886 - 1890   Antoine Marie Hippolyte Carrie, Titular 
              Bishop of Dorylaëum in Frigia Salutare I, 
              before Pro Prefect of Congo                    1842 - 1904        

As the territory soon became too extended, it was divided in 1890 into the Apostolic
Vicariates of :

- Lower French Congo, later Loango
- Upper French Congo, later Brazzaville
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VICARIATE APOSTOLIC OF BRAZZAVILLE*

(Territory formally part of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Two Guinees before 1886)

The Apostolic Vicariate of Upper French Congo covered the northern parts of the 
colony as well as the Oubangui-Chari territory, which was detached in 1907.
In 1922 the Vicariate was renamed Brazzaville.

Vicars Apostolic

1890 - 1921   Philippe Prosper Augouard, Titular Bishop
              of Sinis in Armenia II until 1915, then of
              Cassiope in Epirus                             1852 - 1921        
1922 - 1936   Firmin Jules Guichard, Titular Bishop of
              Tadamata in Mauretania Caesariensis            1884 - 1936
1936 - 1954   Paul Joseph Biéchy, Titular Bishop of 
              Thelepte in Byzacena                           1887 - 1960
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VICARIATE APOSTOLIC OF LOANGO*

(Territoriy part of the Apostolic Prefecture of Congo before 1886)

The Apostolic Vicariate of Lower French Congo covered the southern parts of the
colony. It was renamed Loango in 1907.
 
Vicars Apostolic 

1890 - 1903   Antoine Marie Hippolyte Carrie, Titular 
              Bishop of Dorylaëum in Frigia Salutare I       s.a.       
1903 - 1907   ...
1907 - 1914   Louis Jean Joseph Derouet, Titular
              Bishop of Camachus in Armenia III              1866 - 1914
1915 - 1919   Léon Charles Joseph Girod, Titular Bishop
              of Obba in Africa Proconsularis                1871 - 1919
1919 - 1922   ...
1922 - 1946   Henri Friteau, Titular Bishop of Iabruda
              in Phoenica II                                 1884 - 1956



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