NEW HEBRIDES, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of the ISLANDS. - In southern Melanesia (northeast of New Caledonia), under a Franco-British condominium. The territory, detached from the apostolic vicariate of New Caledonia, was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 9 February 1904 and as an apostolic vicariate on 22 March 1904, entrusted to the Society of Mary.
The first missionaries arrived there from New Caledonia in 1848; but an effective work of penetration began only through the Marists in 1887, when the Protestants already occupied the whole southern part of the archipelago as far as the island of Vaté. The four missionaries, led by Fr. Pionnier, established themselves at Port Sandwich, Baie-Bananune (Mallicolo), Port-Olry (Santo), and Mélé (Vaté). The first attempts were extremely arduous, especially because of the inhabitants’ savage customs and the numerous secret sects.
The vicariate has an area of 11,202 sq. km., with 49,389 inhabitants, including 3,711 native Catholics, 827 foreigners, 371 Annamites, 2,144 catechumens, and 11,500 Protestants. Marist missionaries 17, brothers 1, sisters 49, catechists 54. Districts 7, principal stations 15, secondary stations 12, churches 9, chapels 18, hospitals 2. Elementary schools 15, dispensaries 3. Various charitable works and works of Catholic Action.