Endeber, Apostolic Prefecture of

ENDEBER, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - Situated in the central-western part of Ethiopia, it was erected on 13 February 1940, with territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of Gimm (v.), that is, with the region of the Guraghe-Hadia, at the same time as the apostolic prefecture of Hosanna, and, like it, was entrusted to the Capuchins. For the background and the causes of the erection v. HOSANNA.

The prefecture of E. has an area of over 4000 sq km. At the time of its erection it counted about 400,000 inhabitants, in the vast majority Muslims, the rest pagans, with a few dissidents; 2300 indigenous Catholics with 200 catechumens; Capuchins: 8 fathers and 8 lay brothers; 1 indigenous priest; some catechists; 5 principal mission stations and 3 secondary ones; 3 schools with 163 pupils. Because of the war the Italian Capuchins assigned to the prefecture had to abandon it in 1942, and their exodus brought about the loss of a great part of the fruits of the missionary work accomplished up to then. Subsequently some indigenous priests of the Latin rite, coming from other parts of Ethiopia, were sent into the territory of the prefecture of E. to assist those Christian communities.

Carlo Corvo