UPPER SOLIMÕES, Apostolic Prefecture of the. - It is located in northwestern Brazil between the southern borders of Colombia and the eastern borders of Peru; to the east it borders on the municipality of Fonte Bôa, to the south on the Brazilian territory of Acre. The region is covered by an immense equatorial forest, here and there slightly uneven, furrowed by numerous and wide watercourses, lakes and lagoons, between 2° 45' - 7° 16' 55'' south latitude and between 63° 7' - 73° 47' 45'' west longitude (Greenwich). Hot and humid climate, generating malarial fevers. The apostolic prefecture was erected on May 23, 1910, its territory having been detached from the diocese of the Amazons or Manaos (Brazil), and entrusted to the Capuchins of the Umbrian province.
The total population amounts (official census of 1939) to 24,000 inhabitants, almost all Indians of Tucana stock and of the Gyra language, akin to Tupy, and almost all Catholics (1,750 unbaptized). According to the description given of it by Fr. Fedele da Alviano (beginning of 1934), they constitute 391 families scattered in 208 huts along various rivers.
Ten priests with one Capuchin brother, assisted by five Capuchin tertiary sisters (in mission since 1927, coming from the diocese of Fortaleza, where they were founded in 1904), attend to the three quasi-parishes: St. Paul de Olivenca (founded in 1759) with the secondary stations of Belém, S. Rita and Amaturá; Benjamin Constant or Esperança (founded in 1930) with Tabatinga, Remate de Males, Aramassa and Aruriá; St. Peter of Villanova of Tonantins (founded in 1934) with S. Antonio de Içá and Tonantins Velho. The sisters attend particularly to the two colleges of S. Paolo and of B. Constant. There is a small seminary at S. Paolo and in the principal localities the foundations of young people's Catholic Action have been laid.
The mission proceeds amid various difficulties, arising from the nomadism of the Indians, the lack of access to the secondary stations, the deadly climate, etc. The number of the unbaptized is nevertheless decreasing noticeably and religious life is flourishing anew among the faithful.
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Giuseppe Monticone