PORT ELIZABETH [GQEBERHA], DIOCESE OF. - In the eastern region of the Union of South Africa. It was erected on 30 July 1847 as an apostolic vicariate of the Cape of Good Hope, eastern district, following the division of the apostolic vicariate of the Cape.

The first apostolic vicar, Msgr. Aidan Devereux, brought the sisters to southern Africa, who in 1849 opened a house in Grahamstown, and in 1850 he started the periodical Colonist, which lasted until 1859. His successors called in other religious for the education of youth. On 12 June 1923 a large area was detached to form the apostolic prefecture of Gariep together with other territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of Kimberley. This prefecture on 27 Jan. 1926 was elevated to an apostolic vicariate under the name of Alival, which on 11 Jan. 1951 became a diocese. On 30 Feb. 1929 another part was detached to constitute the mission sui iuris of Queenstown. On 13 June 1939 it took the name of apostolic vicariate of P. E. and on 11 Jan. 1951, with the establishment of the hierarchy in the Union of South Africa, it became a diocese suffragan of Cape Town.

Priests of the secular clergy have always worked there, for the most part Irish. It has an area of about 72,000 sq. km. More than half of the territory is divided into large estates, owned by Europeans. The natives inhabit the zone between the Fish and Kei rivers. The population numbers about

800,000 inhabitants, of whom Europeans 204,300, mixed 112,553, Asians 5,537, the rest natives. English, Afrikaans and Xhosa are spoken. There are few Muslims and Jews. Catholics number about 25,486; many natives are pagans, others Protestants.

Nearly 16 parishes; 11 primary stations; 45 secondary. The priests number 59, assisted by 15 Jesuit fathers, 35 brothers, 566 sisters, 21 catechists, 130 teachers. 3 hospitals, 5 dispensaries; 2 orphanages, 2 homes for the aged. 70 elementary schools, 22 middle schools, 17 higher schools. The colour-bar requires that there be churches and schools for the various races. Numerous are the pious associations and those of Catholic Action.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: MC. 1930, p. 166; The Catholic Directory of South Africa 1951, Cape Town, pp. 91-117; Arch. di Prop. Fide, Relazione. Pos. prot. nn. 1607/30, 4616/30.

Saverio Paventi

@incollection{ec9_port_elizabeth_diocesi_di, author = {Paventi, Saverio}, title = {Port Elizabeth, diocesi di}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {IX}, pages = {1781--1782}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/port-elizabeth-diocesi-di} }

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Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha], Diocese of

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