BASIC HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF WAU
1846 Pope Gregory XVI establishes the vicariate of Central Africa. The first 5 missionaries (2 Jesuits, 2 Diocesan Priests and a member of Mazza Institute) arrive in Khartoum on February, 11th
1850 The missionaries go up to Jebel Lado (Rejaf)
1853 The missionaries open the mission of Gondokoro, near Juba
1854 The Holy Cross of Shambe mission is established in Abu Koka near Bor, 150 Km from Yirol. It is the first in Bahr el Ghazal
1858 Comboni with 4 companions of Mazza Institute (3 priests and a brother) stay one year in Holy Cross. Another priest of the group remains in Khartoum
1862 The Vicariate of Central Africa is suspended because of the high number of deaths: 48 missionaries die in 16 years. The Mission of Central Africa is administered by the Apostolic Vicar of Egypt up to 1872. During this period Franciscan missionaries are present only in Khartoum. A church is started at Kaka, Upper Nile
1872 The Vicariate of Central Africa is re-opened and entrusted to Comboni as Pro-Vicar and to the Institute he founded in 1867 in view of the evangelization of Central Africa
1877 Comboni is made Bishop for the Vicariate of Central Africa
1882 The Mahdist revolution, known as the Mahdiya, spreads in Kordofan. Some missionaries can escape before the arrival of the Mahdi, some are made prisoners and die while in captivity. Some other can escape from captivity. Francis Xavier Sogaro is made Bishop for the Vicariate of Central Africa
1895 Antonio Roveggio is made Bishop for the Vicariate of Central Africa
1898 The Mahdiya ends
1899 Comboni Missionaries, priests and sisters, come back to Omdurman and Khartoum
1902 Bishop Roveggio, while returning from Gondokoro to Khartoum, expresses the desire to open a mission in Bahr el Ghazal. But he dies on 2 May, in Berber, while on his way back to Europe
1903 The Condominium Administration is established in Bahr el Ghazal. The Condominium Government does not allow missionaries to evangelize east of the ideal line joining Meshra er-Rek and Yubu. Francis Xavier Geyer is made Bishop for the Vicariate of Central Africa
1904 Bishop Geyer arrives in Wau on February, 15th with 9 missionaries. Because of the difficult situation (lack of disposal to welcome the Church), the missionaries move to Kayango and Mbili to open the first missions in Bahr el Ghazal
1905 The Colonial Government divides the country in two religious influence zones: North of 10th parallel, to Islam; South of 10th parallel, a zone each to the British Missionary Societies, to Catholics and to the American Mission. Opening of the mission in Wau
1912 Opening of the missions in Mboro and Mupoi
1913 Wau becomes Prefecture Apostolic and Antonio Stoppani becomes the first Bishop of Wau
The Prefecture includes the whole South Sudan and Northern Uganda except Upper Nile that continues to be under Khartoum
1917 Wau becomes Apostolic Vicariate. A permanent Church is built in Wau
1914 Opening of the mission in Raffili
1919 Comboni sisters arrive in Wau on March, 23rd
1923 Opening of the missions in Kwajok and Yubu Source. First division of the Vicariate of Wau: creation of Equatorial Nile/Gulu Diocese, including Northen Uganda and Bahr el Jebel
1926 Opening of the mission in Deim Zubeir
1931 Opening of the mission in Raja
1933 Opening of the missions in Bussere and Nyamlell
1934 Rudolph Orler becomes Bishop of Wau
1935 Opening of the mission in Thiet
1936 Five girls apply to be sisters
1940 Bishop Orler thinks of a Congregation of Brothers whose main aim would be teaching catechism in schools
1941 Profession of Bro. Mario, the first Sudanese brother
1942 Profession of Sr. Sidonia, the first Sudanese sister
1944 Ordination of Fr. Ireneo Dud, the first Sudanese priest
1946 Edoardo Mason becomes Bishop of Wau
1947 Opening of the missions in Rimenze, Naandi and Mayen
1949 Second division of the Vicariate: creation of the Diocese of Mupoi (Apostolic Prefecture)
1950 Opening of the mission in Aweil
1951 Opening of the mission in Kpaile. Wau Cathedral building starts
1952 Opening of the mission in Warap
1953 Opening of the missions in Gordhim, Rumbek and Tonj
1955 Bishop Mason founds the Nazareth Sisters in Nazareth, close to the Intermediate school for girls that opened in the same year. Third division of the Vicariate: creation of the Diocese of Rumbek (Vicariate Apostolic). Opening of the mission in Abyei
1956 Independence of Sudan. The Government starts a policy of Arabization and Islamization. Wau Cathedral is completed
1960 Ireneo Dud becomes Bishop of Wau
1962 The government adopts the Missionary Societies Act, regulating the missionary activities
1964 Expulsion of all the expatriate Christian missionaries from South Sudan. Only the Bishop, 3 priests, 15/18 Nazareth Sisters, 15 St. Joseph Brothers and 300 catechists remain in Wau
1972 Addis Ababa Agreement grants certain autonomy to South Sudan and the expatriate congregations can come back to Sudan
1973 The Jesuits come to Wau
1974 Vicariate of Bahr el Ghazal becomes Diocese of Wau. Gabriel Zubeir Wako becomes Bishop of Wau. Sudan is divided into two ecclesiastical areas, under the leadership of two metropolitan archbishops, Khartoum with El Obeid as suffragan, and Juba, with all the other dioceses of the South as suffragan. The Hierarchy is established on December, 12th: the Bishop and local Church are fully responsible for the provision of pastoral agents and means to the Diocese
1975 All Vicariates in Sudan becomes dioceses and all the missions became parishes
1981 Joseph Nyekindi Bilal becomes Bishop of Wau
1982 The Salesians of Don Bosco arrive in Sudan
1983 Imposition of Shari’a throughout Sudan
1984 The Salesian sisters come to Wau
1996 Rudolf Deng Majak becomes Bishop of Wau