KWEITEN, Diocese of. — In the eastern extremity of the Honan civil province, in central China. Erected as an apostolic prefecture on 19 June 1928, by division of the apostolic vicariate of Kaifeng, it was entrusted to the Augustinian Recollects of the regular province of St Nicholas of Tolentino (Navarre, Spain), who had been working there since 1924; on 18 May 1937 it was raised to the status of an apostolic vicariate and then to that of a suffragan diocese of Kaifeng on 11 April 1946 with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China.
It covers an area of 8,000 sq km. As of 30 June 1947, out of a total population of approximately 2,000,000 inhabitants, there were 11,245 Catholics and 830 catechumens. Besides the bishop, there were 14 Recollect priests, of whom 3 were Chinese; 12 scholastics and 2 novices of the same Order; 6 minor seminarians; and 19 sisters, of whom only 1 was foreign. There were 3 churches, 8 oratories, 125 chapels, and 11 primary stations. Among the works were 1 orphanage with 17 children and 1 medical dispensary. The 4 elementary schools had a total of 194 pupils, while the 8 schools for first elements and prayer had 353 listeners. The mission experienced a decline since 1937 due to the hostilities between Japan and China.
The history of Christianity in this territory is the same as that of Kaifeng (q.v.). Although the preaching of the Gospel was attempted several times, it left no lasting traces: the Christians of today date back to the beginning of this century.