NIANGARA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - In the north-eastern part of the Belgian Congo, entrusted to the Dominicans, erected as an apostolic prefecture, under the name of Uellé Orientale, on 18 Dec. 1911, by division of that of Uellé (v. BITA), elevated to an apostolic vicariate on 6 May 1924, it received its present name on 14 Dec. 1926. It underwent a modification of its boundaries on 15 Feb. 1935 through the annexation of part of the territory of Misa and of Bongo detached from the apostolic vicariate of Stanley Falls (now of Stanleyville [v.]). On 3 Apr. 1941 the chefferie of Solo was detached from the vicariate of N. and united to that of Bondo. The vicariate of N. has an area of ca. 100,000 sq km. with a population of ca. 600,000 inhabitants, belonging to various tribes (Mahere and Monwu, commonly held to be autochthonous; Azande, Abarambo, Bangba, probably coming from the north; Mangbetu, originating from the south; Logo and Bari, Nilotic), not very developed, of an impulsive, inconstant and superstitious disposition. Among them polygamy is widespread, but they nevertheless display a certain degree of morality. The Azande have a clear idea of a single God and supreme lord, as also of the immortality of the soul. The other tribes possess a more obscure notion of the aforementioned truths. All of them, moreover, have the cult of the dead, and make use of amulets and magical practices.
Catholics number over 86,000 with over 20,000 catechumens, Protestants ca. 10,000, pagans almost 500,000; native priests 4, foreign 58; native lay brothers 7, foreign 8; native sisters 20, foreign 51; catechists 1020; teachers 666; regional seminary. Principal mission stations 17, secondary 966; churches 32, chapels 954, dispensaries 13, hospitals 12, leprosaria 11, orphanages 9, shelters 8; elementary schools 107, middle schools and normal schools.
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Carlo Corvo