URAWA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - Located in the central-eastern region of the island of Hondo, northwest of Tokyo, it comprises the civil provinces of Gumma, Tochigi, Ibaraki and Saitama, whose total area is 22,666 sq km.

On 15 June 1891 the archdiocese of Tokyo was erected, which on 9 Nov. 1937 was divided for the erection of the diocese of Yokohama. This on 5 Jan. 1939 was dismembered for the creation of the apostolic prefecture of U., which was entrusted to the Order of Friars Minor. On 10 Oct. 1940 the mission passed to the Japanese secular clergy. The dominant religion, as indeed throughout all Japan, is Buddhism, and there are famous shrines that are the destination of numerous pilgrimages. Shintoism is widespread especially in the civil province of Ibaraki. Out of a population of 7,337,707 inhabitants, Catholics number 3,771, with 1,028 catechumens; Protestants 3,500. Missionary personnel: 2 native priests and 30 foreign; 8 brothers; 11 sisters; 5 major seminarians; 13 catechists. There are 13 prayer schools; 7 kindergartens; a pharmacy; 20 sacred buildings; 19 quasi-parishes; 16 primary stations and 35 secondary. A newspaper is published there with a print run of 5,000 copies.

In 1873 the fathers Vigroux and Lecomte, of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris, began from Tokyo their periodic visits to that part of the territory called "Kanto." In 1880 Father Lecomte made the four above-mentioned provinces the permanent field of his ministry, until 1891. Shortly afterwards, Father Cadilhac took charge of the province of Tochigi and labored indefatigably for 45 years for the propagation of the faith in this territory; in 1892 Father Myrand undertook his apostolate in the province of Saitama. In 1896 Father Fournier fixed his residence in the city of Mito, for the evangelization of the province of Ibaraki. In 1908 Father Giraudias settled in the city of Maebashi, assigned to the care of the province of Gumma. In 1916, six Franciscans of the Canadian province of St. Joseph were placed in charge of the entire region.

Bibliography5 works

BIBL.: AAS, 31 (1939), pp. 159-60; MC, 1950, p. 415; Arch. di Prop. Fide, Relax. con somm., pos. prot. n. 4784/38; Relatio quinquenn. 1945-50, pos. prot. n. 4459/50; Prospectus status missionis 1951-52, pos. prot. n. 3762/52.

Edoardo Pecorzio

@incollection{ec12_urawa_prefettura_apostolica_di, author = {Pecoraio, Edoardo}, title = {Urawa, prefettura apostolica di}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {XII}, pages = {899}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1954}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/urawa-prefettura-apostolica-di} }

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Urawa, Apostolic Prefecture of

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