CARONI, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - The evangelization of the territory of C. (Venezuela) was begun in 1687 by a group of Capuchins from the island of Trinidad, where the Spanish colonial governor resided. After several years of fruitless work, these first missionaries had to leave the region because of the unhealthiness of the climate and the aversion that the Indians, irritated by the mistreatment of the conquerors, harbored toward the whites. In 1727 the Capuchins of the province of Catalonia arrived at C.: protected by the king of Spain Philip V and provided with a small annual subsidy, they succeeded in a short time in founding several missionary stations. By the end of the 18th century the territory had become almost entirely Catholic.
The mission was entirely destroyed by the Venezuelan war of independence of the 19th century, in which almost all the religious and a good number of Christians perished. The work of reconstruction was taken up again in 1918 by the Capuchins of Castile, and in 1922 the territory of C., which had always remained under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Guayana, was erected into an apostolic vicariate, entrusted to the Capuchin province of Castile.
The statistical data of the mission may be summarized as follows: area 150,000 sq. km., population 82,305 of whom 78,200 are Catholics, 3,000 pagans and the rest Protestants; Capuchin missionaries 18, lay brothers 8, Capuchin tertiary sisters 15, Franciscan tertiary sisters 6, catechists 137, teachers 156; parishes 10, missionary stations 301, churches 12, chapels 40. Schools: elementary 193 with over 9,000 pupils, secondary one with 19 pupils, normal one with 28 pupils. Hospitals 11 with 291 beds, pharmacies 34, orphanages 6. There are moreover various lay religious confraternities and charitable associations.
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Antonio Mazza