In the latest administrative changes made public on Sunday, October 25, by the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father named Archbishop Jean Nicolas Rakotojaona, who has served as Coadjutor of the Malagasy Metropolitan See, as Archbishop Rabemahafaly’s successor.
Born in January 1973 in the Archdiocese of Antananarivo, Archbishop Rakotojaona was ordained a Priest for the same Archdiocese in August 2002 after completing his philosophical and theological studies at St. Paul the Apostle Major Seminary of Philosophy and St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Major Seminary, respectively.
The alumnus of the Catholic University of Madagascar (UCM), where he obtained a Master's degree in Philosophy of Religion, is the Rector of the Major Seminary of Philosophy of St. Paul the Apostle.
Since his ordination as a Priest, Archbishop Rakotojaona has served as Parish Vicar of Ihazolava; Vicar in Andohatapenaka and Ampefiloha; Parish Priest in Ambanidia; and Rector of the Propaedeutic Seminary Victoire Rasoamanarivo.
The holder of a Doctorate in Theology from the Switzerland-based University of Fribourg has also served as a lecturer of the Social Doctrine of the Church at the Higher Institute of Technology in Antananarivo and of Philosophy in the Minor Seminary.
In May 2023, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Madagascar’s Morondava Diocese.
Archbishop Rakotojaona was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Fianarantsoa in October 2025.
He is currently the Co-President of the Episcopal Commission for the Apostolate of the Laity (CEPAL) of the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar (CEM).