Surabaya, Apostolic Vicariate of
Located in the eastern part of the island of Java, Indonesia, it comprises the civil districts of Surabaya, Kendiri, Rembang, and Madiun, with a total area of 26,269 sq. km., slightly more than Sicily, and a population of 9,000,000 inhabitants.
This territory was erected into an Apostolic Prefecture on 15 February 1928, by separation from the present Vicariate of Jakarta. On 16 October 1941, this Prefecture was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate.
Until the arrival of the Dutch Lazarists, very little could be done for the evangelization of the natives. The small number of Jesuits was almost entirely absorbed in the care of Europeans, also because the missionary work had hitherto been conducted with a predominantly colonialist mentality. The obstacles to a systematic effort at converting the natives arising from the Muslim religion must also be taken into account. The Lazarists arrived on the island of Java in July 1923 and after a few years completely replaced the Jesuits. In 1925, the Brothers of St. Louis of Outenbosch, assisted by the Ursulines of the Roman Union, founded the first primary school for Javanese boys. In July 1926, the Lazarists, with the support of the government, opened a similar school in Blitar, a small inland town.
The spiritual state of the mission is as follows: 20,722 Catholics with 753 catechumens; 8,500,000 Muslims; 400,000 pagans (animists); 48 priests, of whom 5 are Javanese; 35 brothers; 136 sisters, both native and foreign; 1 major seminarian and 33 minor seminarians, with 17 preparatory students; 33 catechists; 161 teachers; 23 sacred buildings; 3 hospitals; 2 dispensaries; 4 orphanages; 30 elementary schools; 15 middle schools; 3 vocational schools; 2 normal schools; 2 schools for catechists. Various newspapers are published there.
Surigao, Apostolic Vicariate of
Sarugia, 1942, pp. 187-88; Arch. of the S. Congr. of Prop. Fide, Relaz. with summary, file nos. 95/28, 151/34; ibid., Prospectus Status Missionis, 1950-51, file no. 434/51; M.C. 1950, pp. 436-37. Edoardo Pecorario
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### “Surge! Iam Terris Fera Bruma Cessit”
Hymn for Matins on the feast of the Assumption, composed in soft meter by Vittorio Genovesi, S.J., in 1950 for the new Office after the proclamation of the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.
It is an exultation of the Virgin whose immaculate purity merited her ascent into heaven without tasting the corruption of the tomb.