Huế, Apostolic Vicariate of

HUÉ, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of - The territory of the apostolic vicariate of H. is situated on the northern coast of Annam. The first missionary of the region was the Jesuit Francesco Buzomi, who from 1615 to 1619 traveled through the vast area as far as the borders of Tonkin. Other Jesuits followed him, and in 1629 they were expelled.

The mission was resumed in 1639. Later the first missionaries of the Seminary of Paris arrived there, and the territory initially formed part of the apostolic vicariate of Cochinchina, which in 1678 was divided into the apostolic vicariate of Western Cochinchina (Saigon) and the apostolic vicariate of Eastern Cochinchina. From the latter, on 27 Aug. 1850, the apostolic vicariate of Northern Cochinchina was detached, and on 3 Dec. 1924 it took its present name of H. On 18 Jan. 1932 the apostolic vicariate of Kontum (v.) was detached from it. The martyrs have been numerous during the frequent persecutions.

Out of a population of 850,000 inhabitants, Catholics number 60,305. The priests are 131 native, 41 foreign; brothers 135 native; sisters 628 native, 7 foreign; catechists 54, teachers 24; elementary schools 40 with 4,973 pupils; secondary schools 3 with 1,272 pupils; primary stations 81, secondary stations 261; churches 46; chapels 349. The works of charity are represented by 2 dispensaries, 1 hospital with 12 beds; 5 orphanages with 367 children; 5 shelters with 65 persons.

Saverio Paventi