TONGA. - An oceanic archipelago to the NE of New Zealand.
It consists of about 150 units with a total area of 697 sq km, about half of which belongs to the main island of Tongatapu (331 sq km). The islands, partly volcanic (in the west), partly coral, are inhabited by Polynesians (46,000 souls), who practice agriculture, fishing and trade there (main products: sponges, copra and bananas). The capital is Nukualofa. The T. or Friendly Islands have formed an indigenous kingdom since 1845, placed under British protectorate since 1899.
Bibliography
Giuseppe Caraci
APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF THE TONGA ISLANDS
The Protestants established themselves there in 1827 and, taking advantage of the ambitious chief of Ha'apai, Taufa'ahau, made many proselytes.
On 13 Oct. 1837 Msgr. Pompallier was forbidden to disembark at Vava'u. On 2 July 1842 the same Msgr. Pompallier and Fr. Chevron were able to establish themselves on the island of Tongatapu. After a patient work of penetration, the first conversions came in 1843. In 1852 the Protestants began a campaign of calumnies against the Catholics, which through the action of King George I in 1852 led to an open persecution that lasted until 1855. In the following years the mission was able to develop quite well. On 23 Aug. 1842 the apostolic vicariate of Central Oceania was erected, detached from the apostolic vicariate of Western Oceania and New Zealand (v. AUCKLAND, diocese of). From it were detached the apostolic vicariate of New Caledonia (1847), the apostolic vicariate of the Navigator Islands (1850), and the apostolic prefecture, now vicariate, of the Fiji Islands (1863); other islands were annexed to the apostolic vicariate of the Gilbert Islands when this was erected (1897). In 1935 the apostolic vicariate of Wallis and Futuna was detached. On 13 Apr. 1937 it received its present name.
According to the statistics of 1951, out of a population of about 30,000 inhabitants, Catholics number 6,700 and Protestants 23,612. The Marist missionaries number 12, of whom 4 are natives; the sisters 32; the primary stations 8, the secondary 21; the elementary schools 20, the higher schools 6.
Bibliography3 works
Saverio Paventi