Kigoma, Apostolic Vicariate of

KIGOMA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - It is located in British East Africa, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. It derives precisely from the vicariate formerly called "of Tanganyika." The evangelization of the region of the great lakes began through the work of the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), and the first mission entrusted to them was precisely that of Tanganyika (Feb. 11, 1878), which was elevated to a pro-vicariate on Sept. 27, 1886, with a territory that included a large part of the territory of Tanganyika, part of the Belgian Congo and part of Northern Rhodesia.

By decree of Dec. 30, 1886 and brief of Jan. 11, 1887 the pro-vicariate was divided into three vicariates: Tanganyika in the center, Unyanyembe (today Tabora) in the east, and Upper Congo (today, in part, Baudouinville) in the west. The vicariate of Tanganyika underwent boundary changes: 1) with the vicariates of Unyanyembe and Upper Congo, and with the apostolic prefectures of Southern Zanguebar (now the apostolic vicariate of Dar es-Salām) and of Nyassa (now an apostolic vicariate) on Dec. 10, 1895; 2) with the apostolic vicariate of Upper Congo on Apr. 8, 1911; 3) with the apostolic vicariate of Urundi on July 12, 1926; 4) with the apostolic vicariates of Tabora and Bukoba on July 12, 1932, when the mission sui iuris of Tukuyu (now the apostolic vicariate of Mbeya) was erected. On May 10, 1946 the apostolic vicariate of Tanganyika was further divided into two apostolic vicariates, which remained entrusted to the White Fathers: that of the Uha region in the north, which took the name of K., and that of the Ufipa region in the south, which was called Karema (v.). That of K. has an area of 35,000 sq km with a population of over 300,000 inhabitants who speak the Hiha language. In 1948 it counted 9,902 Catholics, 2,139 catechumens, 3 native priests, 37 foreign priests, 9 foreign lay brothers, 2 native sisters, 15 foreign sisters, 248 catechists, 19 teachers.

Carlo Corvo