Chungking [Chongqing], Archdiocese of

CHUNGKING [CHONGQING], ARCHDIOCESE OF. - It is located in the south-eastern part of the civil province of Szechwan (China); it originated on 2 Apr. 1856 and was called the apostolic vicariate of south-eastern Szechwan (v. CHENGTU), with the residence of the Ordinary in Chungking; on 24 Jan. 1860 it was divided in two: the apostolic vicariate of southern Szechwan (v. SUIFU) and the apostolic vicariate of eastern Szechwan. The latter on 3 Dec. 1924 took its name from C. and on 2 Aug. 1929 was again divided, giving rise to the apostolic vicariate of Wanhsien (v.).

For the erection of this one, the mission of C. remained divided into two non-contiguous parts of territory: the one to the south-west of Wanhsien, which is dependent on C., and the one to the north-east of Wanhsien, which is dependent on the city of Fengkheh. The entire territory is entrusted to the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris. On 11 Apr. 1946 the apostolic vicariate was elevated to an archdiocese-metropolis of the ecclesiastical province of Szechwan.

The area is about 80,000 sq km; the total population, as of 30 June 1947, was about 11,000,000, of whom Catholics numbered 38,948 and catechumens 1572; the missionary staff, besides the archbishop, consisted of 24 foreign priests and 64 Chinese, 6 Marist brothers of whom 5 were Chinese; the religious women were 129, of whom 104 were Chinese. Among the works, besides the seminary, there were 2 orphanages, 3 hospitals, 5 medical clinics, 1 printing press; the schools, both primary and secondary, numbered 147 with 7976 pupils.

Adamo Pucci