Salem, Diocese of

SALEM, Diocese of. - In southern India. The mission was begun in the southern part of the diocese by the Jesuit Roberto de Nobili, whose confreres then extended it into the northern part.

The events of the evangelization are intertwined with those of the mission of Madura (v. MADHURAI, DIOCESE of). In 1675 St. John de Brito preached in the region. After the conquest carried out by the kings of Srirangapatnam, the greater part of the territory passed to the mission of Mysore, while the northern part was annexed to the Carnatic mission. Once the Society of Jesus was suppressed, the missionaries of the Foreign Missions of Paris first took care of the Christians existing in the territories under French rule, then of the others in the various missions already entrusted to the Jesuits. On 26 May 1930 the areas of the district of S., included in the dioceses of Kumbakonam and Mysore and in the archdiocese of Pondicherry, were detached in order to erect there the diocese of S., declared a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Pondicherry and entrusted to the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris. On 3 March 1949 the diocese of S. was entrusted to the Indian secular clergy. Its boundaries are the same as those of the civil district of S., which is part of the presidency of Madras.

It has an area of 17,656 sq km and a population of 2,810,000 inhabitants, of whom about 35 thousand are Catholics, 5 thousand Protestants, 75 Muslims and 2,700,000 Hindus. About thirty Indian priests work there, along with 22 missionaries from Paris, 6 Salesians, 2 Jesuits and 13 Brothers of St. Gabriel dedicated to schools. About 7 indigenous sisters and 50 of foreign nationality, belonging to various congregations, concern themselves with the education of young women and with works of charity. The whole diocese is divided into 20 districts with a resident priest; the primary stations number 26, the secondary ones 73, with a total of 21 churches and 66 chapels. The minor seminary with its attached probationary house counts altogether 35 students; some clerics study at the regional seminary of Bangalore. There are several elementary, middle and secondary schools; 6 orphanages, 1 home for the elderly. The diocese also possesses a printing press. The associations of Catholic Action, the confraternities and the charitable works flourish.

Pompeo Borgna