Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, with territory taken from the diocese of Shinyanga, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Mwanza.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Prosper Baltazar Lyimo, until now auxiliary of Arusha, as first bishop of the newly erected diocese.
Bishop Prosper Baltazar Lyimo was born in the village of Kyou, in the municipality of Kilema, district of Moshi, in the Kilimanjaro Region, diocese of Moshi, on 20 August 1964. After his primary studies in Ngurdoto, Arusha, and his higher studies in the minor seminary of Arusha, Saint Thomas Aquinas, he carried out his studies in philosophy at Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Kibosho, Moshi, and in theology at Saint Paul in Kipalapala, Tabora.
He was ordained a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Arusha on 4 July 1997.
After ordination, he first held the roles of formator in the minor seminary of Arusha Saint Thomas Aquinas in Oldonyosambu (1997-1999) and chancellor of the archdiocese (2000-2004, 2007-2008). He was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (2007), and a doctorate in canon law from Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada (2011). He went on to serve as chancellor and judicial vicar of the archdiocese (2011-2014). On 11 November 2014 he was appointed titular bishop of Vanariona and auxiliary of Arusha, Tanzania, receiving episcopal consecration on the following 15 February.
