Peramiho, Abbatia Nullius of

PERAMIHO, ABBATIA NULLIUS OF. - In the southwestern part of the territory of Tanganyika, east of Lake Nyasa. Immediately subject to the Holy See, it is entrusted to the Benedictines of the Congregation of St. Ottilia.

It derives from the apostolic prefecture of Lindi, which was erected on 12 Nov. 1913 by detachment from the apostolic vicariate of Dar-es-Salaam, of that zone of the territory of Tanganyika which extends from Lake Nyasa to the Indian Ocean. On 15 Dec. 1927 Lindi was elevated to an abbey nullius, and on 23 Dec. 1931, after the abbey nullius of Ndanda (v.) was detached from it, it received its present name of P.

It has an area of about 66,000 sq km with a population of about 250,000 inhabitants, of whom 136,205 are Catholics, 7,740 catechumens, about 25,000 Protestants, about 20,000 Muslims, about 73,000 pagans. Indigenous priests 4, foreign 64; brothers lay brothers 69; indigenous sisters 72, foreign 86; 1 major seminary with 23 students, 1 minor seminary with 154 students; 1,024 catechists, 211 teachers, 9 women teachers. Nearly 29 parishes, 22 secondary mission stations; 41 churches, 29 chapels. 15 hospitals; 29 dispensaries; 2 leprosariums. There is a periodical with a print run of 4,000 copies. Schools: 76 elementary; 7 secondary; 2 vocational; 1 normal. In the various mission centers of the abbey the associations of Catholic Action flourish.

Carlo Corvo