CHUMATIEN, DIOCESE of. - In China, in the central part of the civil province of Honan. It was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 2 March 1933 with 4 sub-prefectures from the mission of Nanyang and 3 from that of Sinyanchow, themselves formerly belonging to the mission of Nanyang, and entrusted to the Chinese secular clergy. It was raised to an apostolic vicariate on 9 Nov. 1944 and to a diocese, suffragan of Kaifeng, on 17 Apr. 1946.
It has an area of 12,000 sq. km., almost entirely flat and cultivated with rice. The total population, as of 30 June 1947, was approximately 1,300,000 inhabitants, largely engaged in agriculture. On the same date the Catholics numbered 15,375; the missionary personnel consisted of 17 Chinese secular priests. With the exception of the civil district of Kiachen, where the Christian community of Hatehwang is located, one of the oldest in Honan, founded by the Jesuits more than 3 centuries ago, the oldest Christians of this diocese date back approximately 80 years, having been converted through the work of the fathers of the Foreign Missions of Milan.