MONTAGNOSA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF
In the 16th century, the entire northern part of the island of Luzón, where the Apostolic Vicariate of M. is located, was erected as a diocese under the name of Nueva Segovia. The territory of the present mission always formed part of the aforementioned diocese until its creation as an Apostolic Prefecture on 15 July 1932.
Towards the end of the 17th century or at the beginning of the following century, the religious of the Order of St Augustine founded the first mission in that region. They were followed by the Dominicans, who established various missions there. But in the last decade of the past century all the missionaries were persecuted and expelled from the province of M. In 1907, the task was entrusted to the Fathers of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scheut, who found very few Catholics remaining faithful and all the churches and residences destroyed. However, within a short time they succeeded in establishing fifteen stations and converting 40,000 pagans.
The mission of M., so called because it is entirely a tangle of mountains and ranges, largely bounded by two great rivers—the Arba to the west and the Cagayan to the east—covers an area of 1,493 sq km and comprises the entire territory of the homonymous province. Civilly, the territory is divided into five sub-provinces, and in that of Benguet lies the city of Baguio, a summer resort of the Philippines, with a mild or cold climate due to its average elevation of 1,500 metres above sea level. It is the residence of the Ordinary of M.
On 10 June 1948 this mission was raised to the status of an Apostolic Vicariate. The population numbers about 200,364 inhabitants, of whom 80,860 are Catholics, 18,695 heretics, 5,420 schismatics, 179,628 pagans (animists); 1,239 catechumens; 22 stations and 5 districts; 50 foreign priests, one indigenous; 103 foreign nuns; 37 indigenous nuns; 49 catechists; 5 seminarians; 2 churches; 75 chapels; one hospital; 122 teachers; 6 higher schools with 795 pupils; 21 elementary schools with 2,828 pupils. A printing press, with two periodicals: *The Little Apostle* in 3,300 copies; *El Misionero* in 1,000 copies.