Diocese of Meru

Diocese of Meru Dioecesis Meruensis
Location
Country	Kenya
Metropolitan	Nyeri
Statistics
Area	9,922 km2 (3,831 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2004) 2,152,535 737,821 (34.3%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	St. Joseph's Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Salesius Mugambi

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Meru (Latin: Dioecesis Meruensis) is a diocese located in the city of Meru in the ecclesiastical province of Nyeri in Kenya.

History

• March 10, 1926: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Meru from the Apostolic Vicariate of Kenya
• May 7, 1953: Promoted as Diocese of Meru

Bishops

• Prefects Apostolic of Meru (Roman rite)
  • Fr. Giovanni Balbo, I.M.C. (1926 – 1929)
  • Fr. Carlo Re, I.M.C. (1930 – 16 Sep 1936), concurrently appointed titular bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Nyeri in 1931
  • Fr. José Nepote-Fus, I.M.C. (16 Sep 1936 – 7 Aug 1948), appointed Apostolic Administrator of Rio Branco, Brazil in 1948; future Bishop
  • Fr. Carlo Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. (Apostolic Administrator 1947 – 3 Mar 1954), concurrently appointed Bishop of Nyeri in 1953
• Bishops of Meru (Roman rite)
  • Bishop Lawrence Bessone, I.M.C. (3 Mar 1954 – 7 Apr 1976)
  • Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru (9 Dec 1976 – 18 Mar 2004)
  • Bishop Salesius Mugambi (since 18 Mar 2004)

Coadjutor Bishop

• Salesius Mugambi (2001-2004)
• Jackson Murugara I.M.C. (since 16 January 2025)

Auxiliary Bishop

• Silas Silvius Njiru (1975-1976), appointed Bishop here

Other priests from here named bishops

• Obed Muriungi Karobia, named Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi on 26 March 2026.

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Kenya

Sources

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy