Salem, Diocese of

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

The history of the evangelization is intertwined with that of the mission of Maduré (v. MADHURAI, DIOCESI

of). In 1675 St. John de Brito preached in the region. After the conquest 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. Following the suppression of the Society of Jesus, the missionaries of the Paris Foreign Missions first took charge of the Christians living in the territories under French rule, and subsequently of the others in the various missions previously entrusted to the Jesuits. On May 26, 1930, the areas of the district of S., included in the dioceses of Kumbakonam and Mysore and in the archdiocese of Pondicherry, were detached to erect the diocese of S., declared a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Pondicherry and entrusted to the Society of Paris Foreign Missions. On March 3, 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 Madras Presidency.

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 Mohammedans, and 2,700,000 Hindus. About thirty Indian priests, 22 missionaries from Paris, 6 Salesians, 2 Jesuits, and 13 Brothers of St. Gabriel dedicated to schools work there. About 7 indigenous nuns and 50 of foreign nationality, belonging to various congregations, are engaged in the education of female youth and charitable works. The entire diocese is divided into 20 districts with a priest's residence; the primary stations are 26, the secondary ones 73, with a total of 21 churches and 66 chapels. The minor seminary with its annexed probandate has a total of 35 students; some clerics study at the Regional Seminary of Bangalore. There are several elementary, middle, and high schools; 6 orphanages, 1 old age home. The diocese also possesses a printing press. Catholic Action associations, confraternities, and pious works are flourishing.