MARIANNHILL, DIOCESE of. — Territory situated on the southern coast of Natal, washed by the Indian Ocean. In 1882, Abbot Pfanner of the Trappists began its evangelization, and after the establishment of the missionaries of M., the territory was detached from the apostolic vicariate of Natal (now the diocese of Durban), on 10 September 1921, to form the apostolic vicariate of M., entrusted to the missionaries of the same name. After the northern zone was detached from it on 8 April 1935 to form the apostolic prefecture of Monte Currie (later the apostolic vicariate of Kokstad on 11 July 1939 and a diocese on 11 January 1951), on this same date the apostolic vicariate of M. also became a diocese, AAS, 43 (1951), p. 259.
It has an area of 17,200 km2 and a population of more than 525,000 inhabitants, of whom 117,814 are Catholics, 3169 catechumens, 200,000 pagans, 5000 Muslims, 700 Jews, and 200,000 Protestants. There are 66 missionaries, of whom 17 are indigenous, assisted by 88 brothers and 364 sisters, many of them nationals. There are 96 catechists, 620 teachers, 17 primary stations, 2 secondary stations, 41 churches, and 97 chapels.
In the minor seminary 115 pupils study, and in the major seminary 14, who also belong to other missions. There are 4 hospitals, 22 dispensaries, 3 orphanages, and 2 printing presses. There are various
