MOGADISHU, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - It comprises the whole of Italian Somalia (at present a trust territory under mandate); it lies on the coast of the Indian Ocean south of the Gulf of Aden.

It is a vast, semi-desert territory (area approx. 600,000 sq. km.). It was subject to the apostolic vicariate of Zanguebar, then to that of Northern Zanguebar (v. ZANZIBAR), from which on 21 Jan. 1904 the apostolic prefecture of Benadir was detached (the name then given to the Italian colony now called Somalia), which was entrusted to the Trinitarians of the Roman province, with whom the evangelization of the territory effectively began.

In 1924 the Trinitarians were replaced by the Missionaries of the Consolata, and on 15 Dec. 1927 the prefecture was elevated to an apostolic vicariate under the name of M., which then had its territory enlarged on 24 May 1929, when it underwent a modification of boundaries with the vicariate of Zanzibar.

In 1930 the vicariate of M. passed to the Friars Minor of the province of Milan, and on 25 March 1937, when all the missions of Ethiopia were reorganized, it had its territory enlarged by part of southern Ethiopia. At present, however, although canonically that part of the territory also belongs to it, given the political conditions, in fact the jurisdiction of the Ordinary is exercised only over the territory of Italian Somalia. The population of the vicariate is estimated approximately (year 1950) at 1,100,000 inhabitants, but Muslims in the great majority (over 1,000,000). There are: 8,715 Catholics, of whom 8,500 are foreigners, 95 natives and 120 of mixed stock, with 50 catechumens; 75 Oriental dissidents, 30 Protestants, 20 Jews; 22 priests, 4 brothers, 83 sisters, all foreigners; 4 catechists, 6 women catechists; 5 masters; 27 women teachers; 10 principal mission stations, 7 secondary; 2 churches; 16 chapels; 8 hospitals, 5 orphanages; 12 elementary schools; 4 vocational schools; the printing workshop with 2 periodicals. There are charitable associations and associations of Catholic Action. Adult baptisms in the year 1950 numbered 50. - See plate LXXXIII.

Plate LXXXIII Above left: GOVERNMENT PALACE. Above right: MARKET. Below left: AERIAL VIEW. Below right: THE CATHEDRAL.(da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 294) · (da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 292) · (da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 293)

Plate LXXXIII Above left: GOVERNMENT PALACE. Above right: MARKET. Below left: AERIAL VIEW. Below right: THE CATHEDRAL.(da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 294) · (da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 292) · (da L'Impero coloniale fascista, Natura 1936, p. 293)

Bibliography5 works

BIBL.: AAS, 20 (1928), p. 98; G. B. Tragella, Il vicariato apost. di M. Storia della missione, in Le missioni cattoliche, 71 (1942), pp. 19-21, 33-36, 43-47; MC, 1950, pp. 92-93; A Catholic Directory of East Africa, Mombasa 1950, pp. 170-72; Arch. di Prop. Fide, pos. prot. n. 3461/50.

Carlo Corvo

@incollection{ec8_mogadiscio_vicariato_apostolic, author = {Corvo, Carlo}, title = {Mogadiscio, vicariato apostolico di}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {1206}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/mogadiscio-vicariato-apostolico-di} }

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Mogadishu, Apostolic Vicariate of

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