The Anglican Diocese of Tanga

The Anglican Diocese of Tanga

Weston's Grave

Rev. Frank Weston

Missionaries from the Church of England evangelized East Africa beginning in 1848. The most famous of these missionaries was Frank Weston, who arrived in Zanzibar in 1898 and was consecrated Bishop of Zanzibar in 1903. Bishop Weston had a vision of a vigorous African Church with her own theology. He trained African priests, was fluent in Swahili and became renowned as a missionary scholar-bishop, administrator and preacher and was much beloved by the people of his diocese. Bishop Weston died in Hegongo in November, 1924 at the age of 53 and is buried in Holy Cross Church, Magila.

The Diocese of Tanga was formed in 2000 when the mother diocese of Zanzibar (established in 1882) was divided into the Dioceses of Zanzibar and Tanga. The diocese covers an area of approximately 253,110 square kilometers in the northeastern part of Tanzania and includes the Tanga administrative region plus the Same district of the Kilimanjaro region. Diocesan headquarters and the Cathedral of St. Michael and All Angels are located in Korogwe. The diocese consists of approximately 100,000 people in 61 parishes. These parishes are clustered into 21 deaneries and 5 archdeaconries. The current, and second, bishop of Tanga, the Right Reverend Maimbo W. F. Mndolwa, was elected in September 2011.