PIETERSBURG, NULLIUS ABBEY of. - In the Union of South Africa; its territory was detached from the apostolic vicariate of the Transvaal and erected on 22 Dec. 1901 as the apostolic prefecture of the northern Transvaal, which on 13 June 1939 was elevated to a nullius abbey under the name of P. With the establishment of the hierarchy in the Union of South Africa, it forms part of the ecclesiastical province of Pretoria. It is entrusted to the Cassinese Benedictines of the primitive observance.
It comprises the civil districts of P., Waterberg, Potgieterstrasse, Zoutpans Bergen, and Lenba, and has an area of approximately 75,000 sq. km., with a population of approximately 716,422 inhabitants.
The Catholics are: 12,594 indigenous persons, 992 foreigners, 262 mixed-race persons, 1,832 catechumens; Protestants approximately 175,000, Jews approximately 3,000, Muslims 3,000, and the remainder pagans. There are 18 Benedictines of the Cassinese Congregation and one indigenous secular priest, 30 brothers, and 104 sisters. Catechists, 69; teachers, 179. Primary stations, 10; secondary stations, 59; churches, 12; chapels, 55. Hospitals, 2; dispensaries, 3; elementary schools, 40; middle schools, 5; higher schools, 3; vocational schools, 2; teacher-training schools, 1. There are various pious associations and associations of Catholic Action.