HAINAN, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — It comprises the island of the same name situated between the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin. It was part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pakhoi until 15 April 1929, when it was erected as a mission *sui iuris* and entrusted to the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts (Picpusians), who had been working there since 1923; on 25 May 1936 it was elevated to an Apostolic Prefecture.
It has an area of 35,000 sq. km. As of 30 June 1949, there were 3,196 Catholics, 377 catechumens, 6,000 Protestants, and 1,200 Muslims; the remainder, 2,400,000, were pagans. In addition to the Apostolic Prefect, there were 17 foreign religious priests and 4 Chinese secular priests. Thirteen students were enrolled in the minor seminary, none in the regional seminary of Kwangtung in Hong Kong. Among the auxiliary personnel were: 32 sisters, 5 Spanish and 27 Chinese; 16 catechists, 31 teachers, 1 physician, and 9 nurses. Scattered across the vast territory were 8 primary stations and 20 secondary ones, with 2 churches and 26 oratories or chapels. The charitable works included 1 hospital with 60 beds, 6 medical dispensaries, 2 orphanages with 134 residents. The 9 elementary schools had a total of 772 pupils.
The first announcement of the Gospel on this island was brought by the Franciscan Fathers in the 16th century; they were succeeded by the Portuguese Jesuits from Macao and then by the Fathers of the Paris Foreign Missions Society.