OUIDAH, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - The first apostolic vicariate of Dahomey, extending from the mouth of the Volta River to that of the Niger, was erected by division of the apostolic vicariate of the two Guineas (v. GUINEA), on 28 Aug. 1860, and entrusted to the alumni of the Lyons Seminary for Foreign Missions. On 23 Aug. 1870, while retaining the same boundaries, it was called the apostolic vicariate of the Coast of Benin, which in 1943 Lagos (v.).
On 26 June 1883 the territory between the Volta and the Ouénié-Ohpara was erected into the apostolic prefecture of Dahomey, which, after various boundary changes resulting from new erections, became an apostolic vicariate on 25 May 1901. After further territorial cessions, in 1948 it changed its name to that of O., where the Ordinary resides. The territory, thus reduced, comprises the southern region of Dahomey as far as the boundaries of the circles of Savalou and Parakou, towards the ninth parallel of north latitude. It has an area of approximately 38,000 sq. km.
The principal race is the Dahomeyan race, which at the end of the 19th century was famous for the slave trade and human sacrifices. Out of a population of approximately 1,250,000 inhabitants, Catholics and catechumens number 125,000. Muslims are approximately half that number and Protestants approximately 16. The rest are pagans. There are 23 districts and only one quasi-parish, with 234 secondary stations. There are 24 churches and 235 chapels. Foreign missionaries number 45 and native clergy 18, brothers 6, sisters 106, catechists 563, teachers 295. There are 5 dispensaries, 2 homes for the elderly, and 1 for lepers. There are 41 elementary schools, 19 secondary schools, and 1 teacher-training school. Three periodicals are published there, with a total circulation of 3,000 copies. There are various pious associations.