DIEGO SUAREZ, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF
In Africa, on the island of Madagascar. It originated from the Apostolic Vicariate of Madagascar, erected on 21 January 1848 and divided on 16 January 1896 into the Southern Apostolic Vicariate and the Northern Apostolic Vicariate.
On 5 July 1898 the latter vicariate was divided into the Central Apostolic Vicariate, entrusted to the Jesuits, and the Northern Apostolic Vicariate, entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. On 20 May 1913 it received its current name, and from it the Apostolic Vicariate of Majunga was detached on 15 March 1923. In 1932 two districts were ceded to the Apostolic Prefecture of Nossi-Bé and Mayotte, now Ambanja.
It has an area of 90,000 sq. km. There are 11 missions with 39 Holy Spirit Fathers, 7 indigenous priests, 27 missionary catechist sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, of whom 4 are indigenous, 64 teachers, and 568 catechists. The total population is approximately 483,722 inhabitants, of whom 38,825 are Catholics and 9,686 are catechumens. There are 7 professional schools with 129 pupils and 52 primary schools with 2,129 pupils.