SOOCHOW, DIOCESE OF. — In the southern part of the Kiangsu province, in east-central China.
It was erected on 9 June 1949 from five civil sub-prefectures of the diocese of Shanghai and entrusted to the Chinese secular clergy. It is a suffragan of Nanking.
It covers an area of approximately 5,600 sq. km. At the time of its establishment, with a total population of 3,100,000, there were 26,981 Catholics and 1,051 catechumens; 18 priests, 9 major seminarians; 17 Presentation Sisters; 112 teachers; 2 secondary schools and several primary schools; 74 churches and chapels.
The Christian origins of Soochow date back to Fr. Matteo Ricci, who visited the city (which he called the Venice of China) in December 1598 and January 1599 and nearly decided to establish his residence there. His confreres built two churches, which Chinese emperors endowed with inscriptions: “Honor the heavenly doctrine” and “Honor Heaven.” Later, martyrs arose among the missionaries and among the Christians. After the suppression of the Jesuits, Chinese secular priests cared for the faithful; the Jesuits returned to Kiangsu in 1848 and so zealously resumed their apostolate that they paved the way for the establishment of a native diocese in the territory.