History of Mzuzu Diocese

From what existed as Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa, the Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Nyassa on 18^th May 1947 (with a Decree of 8^th May 1947) was created bearing the name Nyassae Septentrionalis (it covered the Northern part up to the river Dwangwa). The Monsignor Marcel St. Denis was the first elected prefect apostolic by the Holy See. On 17^th January 1961 the prefecture Apostolic of Northern Nyassa was elevated to the status of a diocese with the name Diocese of Mzuzu (Dioecesis Mzuzuensis). On 21^st July 2010, part of Mzuzu diocese was lost to create the Diocese of Karonga (covering the districts of Karonga, Chitipa and part of Rumphi). On 9^th February 2011, the diocese of Mzuzu changed from Blantyre Metropolitan to Lilongwe Metropolitan following the elevation of Lilongwe to an archdiocese.

Monsignor Marcel Saint-Denis M. Afr. was appointed as the first head of Prefecture Apostolic from 13^th June 1947 until he left office and eventually died in 1957 outside the diocese. Following this development, on 3^rd January 1958 Monsignor Jean-Louis Jobidon M. Afr. was appointed to lead the diocese until his resignation on 1^st October 1987 due to ill health, he died on 14th April 1997 in Canada.

On 10^th November 1987 Monsignor John Vincent Roche SPS was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese by the Holy See. He was the administrator until 3^rd March 1995 when Monsignor Joseph Mukasa Zuza was consecrated bishop of the diocese. He was bishop until his untimely death of 15^th January 2015 in a tragic road accident. Following the death of Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza, Monsignor Albert Michael Muwowo became the Diocesan Administrator during the time the seat was vacant (sedes vacans). On 26^th April 2016 Pope Francis named Monsignor John Alphonsus Ryan SPS as the bishop elect of the Diocese of Mzuzu. On 27th August, 2017, he was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese and on the same day he took the canonical possession of the Vacant Episcopal See of the Diocese until his resignation on 1^st April 2025. On the same day, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Yohane Suzgo Nyirenda, the Auxiliary bishop, to the position of the bishop of Mzuzu Diocese. He was installed as such on 3^rd May 2025.

The diocese is under the patronage of Immaculate Conception (8^th December) and Charles Lwanga (3^rd June). The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a time to celebrate the great joy of God’s gift to humanity in Mary, and to recognize with greater clarity, the truth that each and every human being has been created by God to fulfil a particular mission in life. Charles Lwanga is one of 22 Ugandan martyrs and is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. 

The Diocese of Mzuzu is located in the Northern region of Malawi and shares borders with Lilongwe Archdiocese to the South, Karonga Diocese to the North, Lichinga Diocese (Mozambique) to the East and Chipata Diocese (Zambia) to the West. There is Lake Malawi on the east and Zambia on the west. The language predominantly spoken in the Diocese is Tumbuka and therefore is used in all liturgical celebrations. However, English is sometimes used on Sunday and weekday mass celebrations.