ICHOW, DIOCESE of. — Erected as an apostolic vicariate on 1 July 1937 through the division of the apostolic vicariate of Tsingtao, in the civil province of Shantung, in northern China, it remained entrusted to the Fathers of the Society of the Divine Word, who had been working there since 1925 in effective autonomy from those of the mother mission; on 11 April 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, it was elevated to a diocese, suffragan of Tsinan.
It covers an area of approximately 18,000 sq. km. On 30 June 1947, out of a population of approximately 4 million inhabitants, there were 20,277 Catholics and 174 catechumens. In addition to the bishop, there were 25 German Divine Word Fathers and 2 Chinese diocesan priests; 3 German coadjutor brothers; 42 sisters, of whom 38 were Chinese. At the intermissionary Seminary of Yenchow, 3 students of philosophy and 3 of theology were studying for I. Earlier statistics reported a large number of catechists, teachers, baptizers, and nurses; 10 churches and 185 chapels, 2 hospitals, 6 medical dispensaries, 1 home for the elderly, and 2 orphanages; 7 elementary schools, 2 schools for catechists, and 33 schools providing elementary instruction and prayer. But the mission suffered greatly, both in personnel and in its institutions, during the last war and especially during the civil war.
The beginnings of evangelical preaching date back to 1883, through the work of Msgr. de Anzer, then apostolic vicar of southern Shantung (v. YENCHOW), a mission that also included the present territory of I., and of Fr. Giuseppe Freinademetz, who died in the reputation of sanctity in 1908. After the difficulties of the First World War, evangelization resumed and flourished, so much Tsingtao (v.), in June 1928, and of I. in 1937, followed.