PUCCHI, Diocese of. - In the southern part of the province of Hupeh, in central China. It was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 12 December 1923 from four civil sub-prefectures of the apostolic vicariate of Eastern Hupeh, now partly part of the archdiocese of Hankow (see V. HANKOW), and was the first ecclesiastical circumscription entrusted to the Chinese secular clergy. On 10 May 1951 it was elevated to a suffragan diocese of Hankow.
It covers an area of approximately 8,000 sq. km. As of 30 June 1947, with a total population of approximately 750,000, there were 5,125 Catholics, 701 catechumens, 10 priests, and 7 seminarians. There were also 10 sisters and 2 teachers. The territory, divided into 4 districts, had 2 churches, 8 primary stations, and 8 secondary stations. Among the works were 2 medical dispensaries, 1 orphanage, and 1 hospice for the blind. The 3 elementary schools had 410 pupils.
Christian beginnings in the territory of P. probably date to the mid-17th century. More recently, there is record of Christians at Wusinchow (Sitchoung) and Tungchenghsien. At the time of the erection of the prefecture in 1923, there were 800 faithful, the result of the Franciscan mission in Eastern Hupeh.