Mendez, Apostolic Vicariate of

MENDEZ, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - Located in the eastern region of the Republic of Ecuador. It also included the Gualaquiza area; but this was detached from it by decree of 12 April 1951, because, owing to the determination of the boundaries between Ecuador and Peru, it came to lie in Peruvian territory.

Until that date, M. and Gualaquiza had a common history. The Capuchins were the first to penetrate there (1622), and in 1638 the Jesuits joined them, establishing a mission along the Rio Marañón. When the latter, because of their expulsion from the territories of the Spanish Crown, had to abandon the flourishing mission, watered also by the blood of the religious, they were replaced by some secular priests, sent first by the bishop of Chachapoyas (Peru) and then, because of the revolution that had intervened, by the bishops of Loja, Cuenca, Quito (Ecuador). Having overcome various difficulties of a political nature, on 17 February 1893 the vicariate of M. and Gualaquiza was erected and entrusted to the Salesians of St. J. Bosco. But already in 1895 the revolution dealt the new mission a most severe blow; the Salesians, however, remained there. So great were the difficulties that the apostolic vicar in the course of 20 years managed to penetrate there, and almost quietly, only twice. In 1914 the mission was about to die out, but, thanks above all to the intervention of the bishop of Cuenca, the apostolic vicar was able to have free access there. The Indians of the territory, about 12,000, are savage "Jivaros," constantly at war among themselves, and the natural difficulties are extraordinary both because of the extent and because of the wildness of the zone.

According to the data of 1950, the population was 26,117 inhabitants, of whom 16,409 were Catholics and 1,900 catechumens; the rest pagans. Principal stations 11, secondary 24; churches 10, chapels 25. There work there 19 foreign priests and 2 native ones, 19 coadjutor brothers, 32 sisters, 40 catechists, 56 teachers. Elementary schools 32, vocational 4. Works of charity: 6 dispensaries, 4 hospitals, 10 orphanages.

Antonio Mazza