KIENOW [JIAN'OU], APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - In the northern part of the civil province of Fukien, in central China. It was erected as a mission sui iuris, under the name of Kienning, on 6 May 1931, by division of the apostolic vicariate of Foochow, and on 8 Jan. 1938 it was elevated to an apostolic prefecture under the name of K. It is entrusted to the Dominicans of the regular province of St. Joseph in the United States of America, who had been on the spot since 1923. As an apostolic prefecture it depends directly on the Holy See.
It has an area of 11,000 sq km. As of 30 June 1950, out of a population of 1,325,258 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 3000 and catechumens 258; there were 2500 Episcopal Protestants, the rest pagans. The Fathers, including the apostolic prefect, were 15, of whom 3 were Chinese; there were 3 students in the minor seminary and 2 in the regional one based in Foochow. The auxiliary personnel consisted of 2 Dominican lay brothers, 8 sisters, 35 catechists, 30 baptizers.
The Christian community of Kuaten, in the mountainous north-western part of the prefecture, originated from Catholics who had taken refuge there, especially from the neighboring civil province of Kiangsi, to escape persecution after the middle of the 18th century, and who remained faithful, although deprived of a priest for many years. Evangelical preaching in the remaining territory dates from the beginning of our century.
Bibliography3 works
Adamo Pucci