Hankow [Hankou], Archdiocese of

HANKOW [HANKOU], Archdiocese of. - The apostolic vicariate of Hupeh, which from April 2, 1856 comprised the whole civil province of the same name, in central China, was divided on September 11, 1870 into three distinct vicariates: of northwestern Hupeh, of southwestern Hupeh and of eastern Hupeh, which on December 3 received respectively the names of Laohokow, Ichang and H. The latter underwent a first division on December 12, 1923, giving rise to the three apostolic prefectures of Puchi (v.), Wuchang and Hanyang (v.); then a second on July 18, 1929, with the erection of the mission sui iuris of Hwangchow, today a diocese under the name of Kirchow, and lastly a third on June 17, 1937, when the apostolic prefecture of Suihsiem (v.) was erected. With the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, on April 11, 1946, H. was elevated to the rank of metropolitan archiepiscopal see of the ecclesiastical province of Hupeh, with the suffragan dioceses of Hanyang, Ichang, Kichow, Laohokow, Shihnan and Wuchang. It is entrusted to the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, which sends there for the apostolic work the Italian religious of the Venetian province.

Within its present boundaries the archdiocese of H. measures 12,120 sq. km. As of June 30, 1948 the total population was about 3 million inhabitants, of whom 35,072 were Catholics and 12,206 catechumens, the rest pagans and followers of Buddhism (about 2 million), of Taoism (about 600,000) and of Confucianism (about 300,000). The missionary personnel, besides the archbishop, numbered 14 Chinese secular priests and 56 Franciscan Minor fathers; 5 Franciscan lay religious and 7 Marist brothers. The students of the preparatory seminary were 48, of the minor seminary 2, and of the regional seminary for Hupeh, which has its seat in H. and is entrusted to the Franciscan Minors, 2. The nuns, belonging to 4 different institutes, were 183, of whom 85 were Chinese; there were also 309 catechists, 335 teachers, 119 baptizers, 16 doctors and 131 nurses. The territory was divided into 7 districts or rural vicariates with 29 parishes, 92 primary and 317 secondary stations, 29 churches and 63 chapels. Among the works there were 4 hospitals with 316 beds, 22 dispensaries, 3 orphanages with 183 inmates, 1 home for the aged with 12 residents. The 34 elementary schools instructed 3,727 children, the 3 middle schools 2,534 pupils and the 18 schools of prayer and first elements 544 listeners.

The first Christian preaching in Hupeh dates back to the 17th century, through the work of the Jesuits, but it was stifled by persecutions and did not develop: on February 18, 1820 the blessed Francesco Regis Clet, a Lazarist priest, was strangled there. In 1835 the blessed Giovanni Gabriele Perboyre, also a Lazarist priest and likewise strangled there on September 11, 1840, found only 200 Christians in the three great cities of H., Hanyang and Wuchang. The movement toward the Catholic Church intensified, in the mission of H., especially after 1900 and even more after the fall of the Empire. Brigand bands caused damage and victims, among them Fr. Melotto in 1923, but even more was caused by the war between Japan and China and by the world war.

Adamo Pucci