ANKWODIOCESI DI

ANKWODIOCESI of. – Diocese of northern China, situated in the central part of the civil province of Hopeh (formerly Chihli). The mission, erected into an apostolic prefecture on 15 Apr. 1924 under the name Lihsien, the city then chosen as its capital, was raised to a vicariate on 13 July 1929 and the see was transferred to A., whence the present name. On 11 Apr. 1946 it was raised to a diocese. A. and Puchi (v.) are the first two missionary districts entrusted to the Chinese clergy. The Missionaries (Lazarists) of the religious province of northern China labour there. By 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 mostly simple folk, engaged in agriculture; they follow ancestor-worship with superstitious Buddhist and Taoist manifestations.