HUE, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - The territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of H. is situated on the northern coast of Annam. The first missionary in the region was the Jesuit Francesco Buzomi, who from 1615 to 1619 traversed the vast area as far as the borders of Tonkin. He was followed by other Jesuits who were expelled in 1629.
The mission was resumed in 1639. Later, the first missionaries of the Paris Seminary arrived, and the territory initially formed part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Cochin China, which in 1678 was divided into the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Cochin China (Saigon) and the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Cochin China. From the latter, on 27 Aug. 1850, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Cochin China was detached, which on 3 Dec. 1924 took its current name of H. On 18 Jan. 1932, CONTUMACIA (v.) was detached from II. Numerous were the martyrs during the frequent persecutions.
Out of a population of 850,000 inhabitants, Catholics number 60,305. There are 131 native priests, 41 foreign priests; 135 native brothers; 628 native sisters, 7 foreign sisters; 54 catechists, 24 teachers; 40 elementary schools with 4,973 pupils; 3 secondary schools with 1,272 pupils; 81 primary stations, 261 secondary stations; 46 churches; 349 chapels. The charitable works include 2 dispensaries, 1 hospital with 12 beds; 5 orphanages with 367 boys; 5 shelters with 65 persons.