UCAYALI, VICARIATO APOSTOLICO di. — It is located in the northern region of Peru.
The evangelization of the area began in 1619 through Fr. Gregorio Bolivar, with meager results. More successful was Fr. Filippo di Luyando, who in 1631 began the work of converting the various indigenous populations and also initiated the series of the 47 missionaries killed through the end of 1724. In 1725 the Franciscan province of the Twelve Apostles of Peru entrusted the mission to Fr. Francesco di s. Giuseppe, who had founded the missionary College of Ocopa in 1724. In 1742 the apostate Indian Juan Santos Atahualpa rose up against the missionaries, bringing about the ruin of the mission. In 1752 restoration work was begun, bringing the mission to a highly flourishing state. When Peru proclaimed its independence in 1821, the missionaries, being Spaniards, had to abandon the mission. Only Fr. Emmanuele Plaza, a Peruvian, remained; he later became bishop of Cuenca in Peru. In 1824 the College of Ocopa was closed. It could be reopened only in 1836, and with the help of other Spanish and Italian missionaries it became possible to resume the missions.
On 5 Feb. 1900 Propaganda divided the entire region of the Peruvian «Montaña» into the three apostolic prefectures of Amazonas y Huallaga for the Augustinians, of Urubamba e Madre di Dio for the Dominicans, and of S. Francesco di U. for the Franciscans. On 14 July 1925 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate. It has an area of approximately 225,000 sq. km., with a population of approximately 155,000 inhabitants, almost all Catholics; 35 missionaries, 12 brothers, and 84 sisters work there. There are 16 quasi-parishes and 20 mission stations. The schools and charitable institutions, as well as the pious associations and those of Catholic Action, are well developed.