ENDEBER, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — Located in the central-western part of Ethiopia, it was erected on 13 February 1940, with territory detached GIAMMA (v.), namely the region of the Guraghé-Hadia, simultaneously with the Apostolic Prefecture of Hosanna, and, like it, was entrusted to the Capuchins. For the antecedents and causes of its erection, see HOSANNA.
The Prefecture of E. has an area of over 4,000 sq. km. At the time of its erection, it had approximately 400,000 inhabitants, the vast majority of whom were Muslims, the rest pagans and dissident Christians; 2,300 indigenous Catholics with 200 catechumens; Capuchins: 8 priests and 8 lay brothers; 1 indigenous priest; several catechists; 5 principal mission stations and 5 secondary ones; 3 schools with 165 pupils. Owing to the war, the Italian Capuchins assigned to the Prefecture had to abandon it in 1942, and their departure led to the dispersal of much of the fruit of the missionary work accomplished up to that time. Subsequently, some indigenous Latin-rite priests from other parts of Ethiopia were sent to the territory of the Prefecture of E. to minister to those Christian communities.