KITEGA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - Located in the southern part of Urundi and entrusted to the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). The White Fathers had already attempted in 1879 to establish a mission at Rumonge, but on 4 May 1881 three of them were slaughtered by the natives. Several attempts were made from 1883 to 1891 in the capital Usumbura and elsewhere until 1897.
Catholic missions practically began in 1898 with the founding of the mission station at Muyaga and in 1899 with that at Mugera. From 1878 Ruanda-Urundi was part of the Apostolic Prefecture 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 of 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 entire world.
The Apostolic Vicariate of K. has a surface area of approximately 10,800 sq. km. with a population of approximately 629,100 inhabitants; 19,631 Catholics; 97,107 catechumens; 652 Protestants; 38,540 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; 1 catechist teacher; 557; 12 main mission stations; 1 hospital with 2,000 patients; 17 dispensaries with 85,470 annual consultations; 2 maternity wards with 1,053 mothers assisted; 1 leper colony with 55 lepers; 2 orphanages with 59 children.