PRETORIA, ARCHDIOCESE OF. — In the Union of South Africa. The city of Pretoria is the seat of the civil government and capital of the Transvaal Province.
In 1869, Fr. Le Bihan preached a mission at a farm along the banks of the Vaal, when Catholicism was legally prohibited in the Republic of the Transvaal. Following protests, freedom of worship was granted, and President Martinus Pretorius donated land for the construction of a church in Pretoria. The first Mass was celebrated there on 8 June 1887. On 4 June 1886, following the division of the Apostolic Vicariate of Natal, the territory became part of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Transvaal, which on 16 September 1904 became a vicariate. On 9 April 1948, the new Apostolic Vicariate of Pretoria was erected, with territory taken from the Vicariate of the Transvaal, which was renamed Johannesburg. It comprises the civil districts of Pretoria, including the recently established districts of Brankhorstspruit and Groblersdal, Brits, Rustenburg, and Marico: the latter two were detached from the Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley, now a diocese. With the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Union of South Africa on 11 January 1951, the vicariate was elevated to the Archdiocese of Pretoria, with the suffragan dioceses of Johannesburg, Lydenburg, Bremersdorp, and the abbazia nullius of Pietersburg.
The area is approximately 49,470 sq. km., with a population of about 723,070, of whom 212,130 are of European descent, 496,850 are African, 7,038 are Indian, and 7,041 are of mixed race. Catholics number 15,130, i.e., 2.1% of the total population; African Catholics (8,519) represent only 1.7% of the African population. Protestants number about 530,000; Jews about 4,000; Muslims about 2,500; pagans about 170,000.
The archdiocese is entrusted to the native clergy, represented by 5 priests, assisted by 8 Oblates of Mary Immaculate and 9 Redemptorists. There are 15 brothers, 100 sisters, 27 catechists, about 3 parishes, 10 primary stations, 12 secondary stations, 3 churches, and 17 chapels. There are 2 hospitals and 5 dispensaries. Elementary schools number 19, secondary schools 5, higher schools 4, and professional schools 2. The periodical *The Keys* is published in 1,000 copies. Numerous are the other associations.