(8 June 1852 – 30 November 1917) was a priest of the White Fathers missionary society who was Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika from 1891 until his death in 1917, in what is now Tanzania.

[2][3] He taught at the junior seminary and was assistant to the master of novices at the society's mother house at Maison Carrée, Algeria.

[3] Cardinal Lavigerie was concerned that the campaign to suppress slavery would cut off the missions around Lake Tanganyika from communication with the coast.

At the same time, the Portuguese wanted to gain international recognition of their claim to the territory to the south and west of Lake Nyasa.

[4] In June 1889 the White Fathers signed an agreement with the crown of Portugal to set up a mission at the village of chief Mponda, at the southern end of the lake.

The other missionaries reached Quelimane in September 1889, where they learned that the British were claiming jurisdiction over the region to the west and south of the lake.

[6] The Portuguese withdrew their troops from the Shire and Kololo districts in January 1890, but the White Fathers went ahead with their mission beside Mponda's compound.

Traveling by lake steamer, to the Protestant mission of Livingstonia, then continuing on foot, they eventually reached the village of Nsokolo Chitambi, paramount leader of the Mambwe people, where they rested.

[8] On 19 June 1891 Lechaptois was appointed his successor as Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika (now the Diocese of Sumbawanga)[9] and Titular Bishop of Utica.

With obvious sympathy he described the history of the Fipa and Bende people, their politics, family structure, crafts, traditions, art, science, and music.