Kilimanjaro, Apostolic Vicariate of

KILIMANJARO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - It is located in British East Africa, specifically in the northern part of the territory of Tanganyika. It takes its name from the K. massif (mountain 5,890 m high), which lies within its boundaries. It was erected on 13 Sept. 1910 on territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of Bagamoyo (v.). It is entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, province of the United States of America.

The usual residence of the Ordinary is at Moshi. Recently (10 Apr. 1950) the eastern part of the territory was detached from the remainder of the vicariate of K. in order to erect the apostolic prefecture of Tanga (v.). After this division the apostolic vicariate of K. measures about 98,000 sq. km. in area and has a population of about 450,000 inhabitants; Catholics 66,000, almost all natives, except for a few hundred foreigners; about 6,000 catechumens, 20,000 Protestants, almost 100,000 Muslims; 13 native priests, 50 foreign, 13 native lay brothers with a novitiate and 13 novices, 9 foreign lay brothers, 76 native sisters with a novitiate and 25 novices, about thirty foreign sisters, a major seminary with 22 students and a minor one with 90 students. There are numerous elementary schools with over 10,000 pupils and several secondary schools, as well as flourishing charitable works and associations of Catholic Action.