Sassandra, Apostolic Vicariate of

SASSANDRA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - It is located in the southwestern part of the Ivory Coast. It was erected as an apostolic vicariate on 9 April 1940 with territory detached from the apostolic vicariate of the Ivory Coast, to which at the same time the present name of Abidjan was given. It is entrusted to the Society of African Missions.

It has an area of 112,000 sq km, for the most part covered by forests. The population is about 700,000 inhabitants divided into 18 tribes, all animists, with their own languages. Muslim traders seek to make converts and have already gained about 60,000 adherents. They constitute a real danger because they are supported by the great trading houses and often also by the authorities. Baoulé is spoken almost everywhere. The mission is divided into 17 districts, which form the principal stations, and 121 secondary stations. Catholics number 24,451, catechumens 9,494, Protestants 8,062. The missionaries number 31, of whom four are natives. Nuns 14, catechists 124. Elementary schools 60, middle schools 17, normal school 1. Dispensaries 4 and orphanages 4. Ancestral customs and economic difficulties make the progress of religion very slow.

Saverio Paventi