SAN PIETRO and FORT-DE-FRANCE (MARNICA), DIOCESE. — It comprises the island of Martinique, which was discovered by Cristoforo Colombo in 1502 during his fourth voyage, but was never occupied by the Spaniards.
In 1635 it was occupied and colonized by the French. In that same year the Dominicans began the mission, setting out from Guadeloupe. In 1646 the Capuchins arrived, whose mission center was S. Cristoforo. The Jesuits, who arrived two years later, obtained in 1651 for the Superior of the missions subject to France in the islands and mainland countries of Central America the authority of apostolic prefect; the prefects of the Dominicans and Capuchins of Guadeloupe, however, retained their jurisdiction over Martinique. Alongside the religious, French and Irish secular priests also worked there (in 1667 the Irish who had taken refuge in the Lesser Antilles during Cromwell’s persecution were estimated at 12,000). Toward the end of the seventeenth century the entire island was Catholic. After the scandal involving Fr. Antonio de La Valette, the Jesuits were expelled from the island in 1764. During the Franco-English wars of the eighteenth century, Martinique passed several times into the hands of the English. All the priests who remained were placed under a single apostolic prefect, Fr. Francesco Agostino Trepsac, formerly apostolic prefect of Guadeloupe (5 June 1794).
Some French priests, deported to Cayenne during the Revolution, were able to transfer to Martinique, thus increasing the number of clergy. After the Treaty of Paris (1814), and following the reopening of the Seminary of S. Spirito, Propaganda entrusted Martinique to the latter, leaving the choice of the prefect to the Superior General (1819). In accordance with the Concordat with France, on 27 September 1850 the diocese of S. P. of Martinique was erected as a suffragan of Bordeaux; three years later (12 September 1853) the see was transferred from Fort-de-France to St-Pierre, but was subsequently returned to its original location in 1902, since St-Pierre had been completely destroyed by the eruption of Mount Pelée. After the abrogation of the Concordat (1909), Martinique was placed under the jurisdiction of Propaganda, which entrusted it to the Congregation of S. Spirito (4 March 1912). The population currently numbers 261,595, of whom 259,000 are Catholics; of the 93 priests, only 17 are natives of the country.