St. Thomas Catholic Church, Kano
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The Catholic Diocese of Kano began in
the second decade of the 20th century. In the year 1915, many
Catholics were resident in Kano. The first baptism, which was that of Anna
Beecroft, administered by Revd Fr Alphonse Berlioux, a priest from Lokoja, took
place on 24th August, 1915 as recorded in the Baptism register of
St. Joseph Parish, Kaduna. Between 1926 and 1918, another priest, Revd Fr
Berengario Cermenati severally paid visits to Kano. However, history had it
that Christianity entered Kano in the 16th century through the
Trans-Saharan trade route, mostly patronized by Christian communities of the
River Nile region. An attempt which was recorded by Franciscan Friar, Brother
Peter Farde OFM from Belgium in 1988, who incidentally was captured at Sea and
made to become a slave to a Muslim master in Agadez, North of Kano.