TATUNG [DATONG], Diocese of. - In the north-eastern part of the province of Shansi, in northern China.

It was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 14 March 1922 with 6 civil sub-prefectures of the apostolic vicariate of Northern Shansi (v. TAIYUAN) and was entrusted to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scheut). On 17 June 1932 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate and on 11 April 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, to a diocese suffragan of Taiyuan.

It has an area of about 20,000 sq km. As of 30 June 1947, out of a total population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 8,000; priests 32, of whom 4 were of the Chinese secular clergy; major seminarians 2. Among the works were 3 orphanages, 5 medicine dispensaries, 1 hospice for the aged; 4 schools. At T. the first regional seminary of China was erected, in 1921, for the major seminarians of the missions entrusted to the religious of Scheut, and it was precisely to facilitate the foundation and the life of this pious institute that the apostolic prefecture of T. was erected and entrusted to the Scheutists.

During the Boxer persecution (1900) the city of T. had several martyrs, among whom the Chinese priest Yang deserves to be remembered; nevertheless the evangelization of the territory was greatly reduced for lack of personnel. At the time of its erection the apostolic prefecture had only 3 residences, at T., Hunyuan and Kwangling: in the first five years of autonomous life 5 more were founded, namely: Tienchen, Lingkiu, Yangkao, Yulin and Sitchaitien. In the following years missionary activity was further intensified and gathered abundant fruits. - See plate CXXX.

Plate CXXX Above: CHARACTERISTIC OCTAGONAL PORTAL OF A PAGODA - Tatung. Below: PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY ROOM of the central Seminary - Tatung.(fot. Fides)

Plate CXXX Above: CHARACTERISTIC OCTAGONAL PORTAL OF A PAGODA - Tatung. Below: PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY ROOM of the central Seminary - Tatung.(fot. Fides)

Bibliography6 works

BIBL.: AAS, 14 (1922), p. 273; 24 (1932), p. 373; GM, p. 210; Arch. di Prop. Fide, Relazione quinquennale T. 1927; Relazione T. 1947; MC, 1930, p. 238.

Adamo Pucci

@incollection{ec11_tatung_diocesi_di, author = {Pucci, Adamo}, title = {Tatung, diocesi di}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {XI}, pages = {1796--1797}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1953}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/tatung-diocesi-di} }

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Tatung [Datong], Diocese of

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