NANCHANG, ARCHDIOCESE OF. - On 19 Aug. 1879 the apostolic vicariate of Kiangsi, which comprised the civil province of the same name, was divided into the apostolic vicariates of northern and southern Kiangsi. The first (28 Aug. 1885) was further divided, giving rise to that of eastern Kiangsi (v. YÜKIANO); on 25 Aug. 1920 it ceded 2 civil subprefectures to the present mission of Kian (v.) and took the name of apostolic vicariate of Kiukiang, from the principal city, seat of the Ordinary; on 3 Dec. 1924 it took the name of N., from the city to which, in the meantime, the apostolic vicar had transferred. On 11 Apr. 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, N. was elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese with the suffragan dioceses of Kanchow, Kian, Nancheng and Yükiang. It has been entrusted, from the very beginning, to the Congregation of the Mission.
It has an area of 46,000 sq km.; on 30 June 1948 it counted about 5,000,000 inhabitants, of whom 29,717 were Catholics and 1,217 catechumens; about 8,000 Protestants and 1,200 Muslims. The missionary personnel, besides the archbishop, counted 20 Lazarists and 17 Chinese secular priests; 60 sisters, of whom 48 were native; 25 catechists, 49 teachers, 10 baptizers, 9 doctors and 65 nurses. It had 1 minor and 1 major seminary; 4 districts with 25 parishes, 21 primary and 416 secondary stations; 10 churches and 92 chapels. Among the works: 3 hospitals, 3 medical clinics, 3 orphanages, 2 homes for the aged; 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 vocational schools, 25 for prayer and the first elements.
The Christian origins of N. go back to the end of the 16th century and are common with those of the neighboring mission of Kian (v.). Fr. Matteo Ricci also passed through N. and preached there. Evangelization was hindered by almost continuous persecutions, which claimed no small number of victims.
Bibliography5 works
Adamo Pucci