Fiji

FIJI. - Archipelago of 250 islands (80 inhabited) in the South Pacific; Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are of volcanic origin, the others coral.

The humid tropical climate favors the many crops that were introduced there (sugar cane, corn, tea, tobacco, peanuts, cotton, coconuts and copra); livestock raising is also notable. Discovered by Tasman in 1643, the Fiji Islands (or Viti) gave themselves voluntarily to Great Britain, of which they form a colony that enjoys a measure of autonomy. The archipelago measures about 18,344 sq km, and has 270 thousand inhabitants, of whom 120 are Indians. The capital is at Suva (11 million inhabitants), on Viti Levu.

Giuseppe Caraci

THE APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF THE F ISLANDS

In 1835, through a certain Giorgio Tubou, a native of the island of Tonga, Methodism was introduced into the Fiji Islands, even by force of arms. Only on 2 August 1844 did two missionaries of the Society of Mary land there; for 15 years they obtained almost no conversions and had to suffer greatly at the hands of the Protestants. The Fiji Islands were part of the apostolic vicariate of central Oceania, from which they were separated and on 27 March 1863 erected into an apostolic prefecture. From 1860 a consoling movement of conversions had begun, but the catechumens fell victim to a bloody persecution on the part of the Methodists. On 13 May 1887 they were elevated to an apostolic vicariate. It comprises about 200 islands, called Fiji and Rotuma. They extend between parallels 12.30 and 22 and between the 175th meridian east and the 177th west. The entire surface area is about 18,344 sq. km., with a humid tropical climate due to the abundance of rain. The terrain is volcanic and mountainous, so that the means of communication present great difficulties. In the past contagious diseases greatly reduced the population. It is believed that the inhabitants came from central Africa by way of the Malayan islands and New Guinea. They were cannibals and pagans, and now under English rule they are very peaceful.

According to the statistics of 1948, Catholics number 22,103, catechumens 411, foreign priests 39, native priests 4, foreign brothers 25, native brothers 20; foreign sisters 123, native sisters 92, catechists 221, schools 50 with 6000 pupils, orphanages 3 with 148 children.

The Protestants are represented by Anglicans, Presbyterians, Adventists and Methodists, and all other non-Catholics are considered as such, although there are not lacking those who are still pagans.

Saverio Paventi