MOGADISCIO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - It comprises all of Italian Somaliland (currently a United Nations Trust Territory); it is situated on the coast of the Indian Ocean to the south of the Gulf of Aden.
It is a vast semidesert territory (area approx. 600,000 sq. km.). It was formerly subject to the Apostolic Vicariate of Zanguebar, then to that of Northern Zanguebar (v. ZANZIBA), from which on 21 January 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 actual evangelization of the territory began.
In 1924 the Trinitarians were replaced by the Consolata Missionaries, and on 15 December 1927 the Prefecture was raised to the status of an Apostolic Vicariate under the name of M., which then had its territory enlarged on 24 May 1929, when a boundary adjustment was made with the Vicariate of Zanzibar.
In 1930 the Vicariate of M. passed to the Franciscans of the Province of Milan, and on 25 March 1937, when all the missions of Ethiopia were reorganized, its territory was further enlarged with part of southern Ethiopia. At present, however, although canonically the Ordinary also has jurisdiction over the Ethiopian part of the territory, given the political conditions, in fact his jurisdiction is exercised only over the territory of Italian Somaliland. The population of the Vicariate is estimated (as of 1950) at approximately 1,100,000 inhabitants, the vast majority of whom (over 1,000,000) are Muslims. There are: 8,715 Catholics, of whom 8,500 are foreigners, 95 are indigenous, and 120 are of mixed race, with 50 catechumens; 75 Eastern dissidents, 30 Protestants, 20 Jews; 22 priests, 4 brothers, 83 sisters, all foreigners; 4 male catechists, 6 female catechists; 5 male teachers; 27 female teachers; 10 principal missionary stations, 7 secondary ones; 2 churches; 16 chapels; 8 hospitals; 6 orphanages; 12 elementary schools; 4 vocational schools; 7 printing presses with 2 periodicals. There are charitable associations and Catholic Action groups. In the year 1950, there were 50 adult baptisms. - See pl. LXXXIII.
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