BERBERATI, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — Erected on 28 May 1940 in French Equatorial Africa, in the north-western part of Ubanghi-Chari, with territory taken partly from the Vicariate of Bangui and partly from that of Foumban. The new prefecture was entrusted to the French Capuchins, who had already been working there for several years.
The station at B., among the Baya, was opened in 1923, when it still belonged to the Vicariate of the Middle Congo (later Brazzaville) and was then annexed to the Prefecture of Ubanghi-Chari (later the Vicariate of Bangui) in 1929.
According to the 1948 statistics, out of a population of approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants, there were 15,645 Catholics, 12,600 catechumens, 15,000 Protestants, 5,000 Muslims, and the rest pagans. There were 9 primary stations and 10 secondary ones; 8 elementary schools with 1,445 pupils, 1 vocational school with 15 pupils, and 8 catechist schools with 195 pupils.