Ankwo, Diocese of

ANKWO, DIOCESE of. — Diocese of northern China, situated in the central part of the civil province of Hopeh (ancient Chihli). The mission, erected as an apostolic prefecture on 15 April 1924 under the name of Lihsien, the city then chosen as its see, was elevated to a vicariate on 13 July 1929, and its see was transferred to A., hence its present designation. On 11 April 1946 it was elevated to a diocese. A. Puchi (v.) are the first two missionary jurisdictions entrusted to the Chinese clergy. The Missionaries of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists) of the religious province of North China work there. As of 30 June 1940, the inhabitants numbered 1,270,000 in all, of whom 32,937 were Catholics; there were 26 priests, 74 brothers, and 116 sisters. The population is, for the most part, simple and devoted to agriculture; it follows the cult of ancestors with Buddhist and Taoist superstitious practices.