Hainan, Apostolic Prefecture of

HAINAN, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - It comprises the island of the same name 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 (Picpus Fathers), 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, Catholics numbered 3,196, catechumens 377; Protestants 6,000 and Muslims 1,200; the rest, 2,400,000, were pagans. Besides the apostolic prefect, there were 17 foreign religious priests and 4 Chinese secular priests. In the minor seminary 13 students were studying, none at the regional seminary of Kwangtung in Hong Kong. Among the auxiliary personnel there were: 32 sisters, 5 Spanish and 27 Chinese; 16 catechists, 31 teachers, 1 doctor and 9 nurses. Over the vast territory were scattered 8 primary stations and 20 secondary ones with 2 churches and 26 oratories or chapels. The works included 1 hospital with 60 beds, 6 medical dispensaries, 2 orphanages with 134 inmates. The 9 elementary schools had a total of 772 pupils.

The first proclamation of the Gospel was brought to this island by the Franciscan Fathers in the 16th century; they were succeeded by the Portuguese Jesuits of Macao and then by the Fathers of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris.

Adamo Pucci