Christ the King CathedralGENERAL INFORMATION LOIKAW DIOCESE
Loikaw Diocese located in Kayah State, is the smallest of all 14 States and Divisions in Myanmar. It covers an area of 4,500 square mile, mostly hills and mountains. It is bordered with Thailand in the East, Shan State in the North, and Karen State in the West and South. The population of Kayah State is about 301,187 resulting in an average population density of 17 persons per sq. km. About three quarters of the population are ethnic minority groups; Kayan, Kayaw, Kayah, etc.. while the remaining quarter are Burmese, Shan and Karen.
Christianity and Buddhism are the two dominant religions in Kayah State. This place is regarded as the stronghold of Catholicm in Myanmar. Efforts have been made to reach out or have dialogue with people of other religion.
The 15 years brief history of Loikaw Diocese actually began with the arrival of zealous, self-sacrificing and lifelong dedicated PIME Missionaries in 1868. All present areas of the dioceses of Taungngu, Taunggyi, Kengtong, Lashio and Loikaw have been almost exclusively evangelized by these great PIME apostles out of whom at least four priests died a martyr's death, many preferred and actually laid down their lives in the missionary lands.
It is recorded that Rev. Fr. Antonio Cazzuloni, PIME, was the first missionary to have visited and resided in Solyaku, 20 miles from Loikaw in 1893. From there, missionary activities were extended to Yado, Hoya, Dorawkhu, Moso, Ghekaw, Dolasaw, Mawchi, Shadaw, Taunggyi and Kengtong as part of Taungngu Diocese.
In 1960, the diocese of Taunggyi inclusive of the whole Kayah State was established with territories taken from Taungngu Diocese. The tireless efforts of the first Bishop, Msgr. J.B. Gobatto, produced abundance of Catholics, priests and religious and it was felt that Kayah State with Loikaw as capital was ready to be a diocese on her own.
The prophetic vision of Rev. Fr. Paolo Manna (a candidate to sainthood) in 1907 that Loikaw should be established as a center from which to expand the evangelization works in the whole of Kayah State came true on April 22, 1989, when His Holiness John Paul II erected the diocese of Loikaw and created its first Bishop Msgr. Sotero Phamo from Kayah soil.
Loikaw Diocese located in Kayah State, is the smallest of all 14 States and Divisions in Myanmar. It covers an area of 4,500 square mile, mostly hills and mountains. It is bordered with Thailand in the East, Shan State in the North, and Karen State in the West and South. The population of Kayah State is about 301,187 resulting in an average population density of 17 persons per sq. km. About three quarters of the population are ethnic minority groups; Kayan, Kayaw, Kayah, etc.. while the remaining quarter are Burmese, Shan and Karen.
Christianity and Buddhism are the two dominant religions in Kayah State. This place is regarded as the stronghold of Catholicm in Myanmar. Efforts have been made to reach out or have dialogue with people of other religion.
The 15 years brief history of Loikaw Diocese actually began with the arrival of zealous, self-sacrificing and lifelong dedicated PIME Missionaries in 1868. All present areas of the dioceses of Taungngu, Taunggyi, Kengtong, Lashio and Loikaw have been almost exclusively evangelized by these great PIME apostles out of whom at least four priests died a martyr's death, many preferred and actually laid down their lives in the missionary lands.
It is recorded that Rev. Fr. Antonio Cazzuloni, PIME, was the first missionary to have visited and resided in Solyaku, 20 miles from Loikaw in 1893. From there, missionary activities were extended to Yado, Hoya, Dorawkhu, Moso, Ghekaw, Dolasaw, Mawchi, Shadaw, Taunggyi and Kengtong as part of Taungngu Diocese.
In 1960, the diocese of Taunggyi inclusive of the whole Kayah State was established with territories taken from Taungngu Diocese. The tireless efforts of the first Bishop, Msgr. J.B. Gobatto, produced abundance of Catholics, priests and religious and it was felt that Kayah State with Loikaw as capital was ready to be a diocese on her own.
The prophetic vision of Rev. Fr. Paolo Manna (a candidate to sainthood) in 1907 that Loikaw should be established as a center from which to expand the evangelization works in the whole of Kayah State came true on April 22, 1989, when His Holiness John Paul II erected the diocese of Loikaw and created its first Bishop Msgr. Sotero Phamo from Kayah soil.
