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Pope Francis Appoints Auxiliary Bishop for Nigeria’s Calabar Archdiocese

Mons. Christopher Naseri Naseri, appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Catholic Archdiocese of Calabar in Nigeria. Credit: Archdiocese of Calabar

By Jude Atemanke

Calabar, 01 May, 2023 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Christopher Naseri Naseri as the Auxiliary Bishop for the Catholic Archdiocese of Calabar in Nigeria. 

The appointment of Mons. Naseri who has been serving as Assistant Parish Priest of St. Bernard Parish in Marian Hill and professor at the University of Calabar was published by the Holy See Press office on Monday, May 1.

Born in April 1970 in Calabar Archdiocese, Mons. Naseri was ordained a Priest in July 1997 after completing his studies in philosophy and theology at St. Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Ekpene  and  the Seat of Wisdom Seminary in Owerri, respectively.

The Bishop-elect who has been assigned the Titular See of Gurza holds a Licentiate and Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome.

As a Priest, Mons. Naseri has served in various capacities, including Assistant Parish Priest of St. John, Akamkpa and teacher at Mary Immaculate Juniorate, Iwuru; and Assistant Parish Priest of St. Bernard Parish.

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He also served as Secretary to the Archbishop of Calabar; Parish administrator of St. Vincent, Mbukpa and Chaplain of the Federal Girls College Chaplaincy, Calabar; member and secretary of the council of consultors; Parish Priest of St. Bernard and vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese of Calabar; and president of the Archdiocesan commission for the seminary.

Mons. Naseri also served as formator at St. Joseph Major Seminary; Vicar for the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Calabar and member of the college of consultors.

Once he is Consecrated Bishop, he is to assist the 73-year-old Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem who has been at the helm of Calabar Archdiocese since February 2013.

Erected in July 1934 as Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar from the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Nigeria, the Nigerian Metropolitan See was elevated to the Archdiocese of Calabar in March 1994.

The Nigerian Archdiocese, which measures 7,754 square-kilometers has a population of 290,000 Catholics, according to 2021 statistics.

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Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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