SUEZ.— The apostolic vicariate of the Suez Canal is called, since 27 January 1951, the apostolic vicariate of Port Said, after the name of the city where the vicar resides. The other two apostolic vicariates in Egypt also changed their names on the same date: that of Egypt took the name of Alexandria, and that of the Nile Delta the name of Heliopolis.
The territory of the apostolic vicariate of Port Said formerly belonged to that of Egypt and Arabia, founded on 12 May 1839, from which was detached on 17 March 1884 a prefecture proper to the Nile Delta, later erected on 17 September 1909 into the apostolic vicariate of the same name. The latter was divided on 12 July 1926, and one of the two parts took the name of the apostolic vicariate of the Suez Canal. Its territory extends along the canal of the same name from Port Said to the city of Suez and is entrusted to the French Franciscans; it comprises 6 parishes, 2 of which are in Port Said and the others in Port Fuad, Ismailia, Suez and Port Tewfik. The number of Catholics is 10,800. In the parishes there are 12 Franciscan priests and 2 secular priests. There are 7 boys' schools and 10 girls' schools run respectively by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Other religious congregations also work there. The Coptic Work cares for the numerous and very poor Coptic immigrants recently arrived, among whom there are several hundred Catholics.