KITEGA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. — Situated in the southern part of Urundi and entrusted to the Society of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). The White Fathers had already attempted in 1879 to found a mission at Rumonge, but on 4 May 1881 three of them were massacred by the natives. Several attempts were made from 1883 to 1891 in the capital Usumbura and elsewhere, continuing until 1897.
Catholic missions effectively began in 1898 with the foundation of the missionary station at Muyaga, and in 1899 with that of Mugera. From 1878 Ruanda-Urundi had formed part of the apostolic provicariate of Tanganyika; in 1886 it became the western part of the apostolic vicariate of Unyanyembe; on 12 Dec. 1912 it Kivu (v.). But on 25 Apr. 1922 the territory was divided into the two vicariates of Ruanda and Urundi. The latter, on 14 July 1949, was divided between the two vicariates of Ngozi in the north and K. in the south, which, together with the apostolic vicariate of Ruanda, are the most flourishing Catholic missions, not only in the Congo and Africa, but in the whole world.
The apostolic vicariate of K. has an area of approximately 10,800 sq. km. and a population of approximately 629,100 inhabitants; 196,931 Catholics; 97,107 catechumens; 6,522 Protestants; 328,540 pagans; 8 indigenous priests; 34 foreign priests; 8 indigenous lay brothers, with 6 novices and 11 postulants; 3 foreign lay brothers; 14 indigenous sisters; 21 foreign sisters; 443 teachers; 557 catechists; 12 principal missionary stations; 1 hospital with 2,000 patients; 17 dispensaries with 805,470 consultations annually; 2 maternity hospitals with 1,053 mothers assisted; 1 leprosarium with 55 lepers; 2 asylums with 59 inmates; 467 rural schools with 53,527 pupils of both sexes; 434 primary and secondary schools, subsidized by the government, with 20,534 male pupils and 2,108 female pupils. Catholic Action is well organized.