APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF THE TONGA ISLANDS. — Protestants established themselves there in 1827 and, taking advantage of the ambitious chief of Haapai, Taoufa-Ahaou, made many converts.
On 13 Oct. 1837, Abp. Pompalver was forbidden to land at Vavau. On 2 July 1842, the same Abp. Pompalver and Fr. Chevron were able to settle on the island of Tongatabu. After patient work of penetration, the first conversions took place in 1843. In 1852, the Protestants launched a campaign of calumnies against Catholics, which, through the action of King Georges I in 1852, resulted in 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 it 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 statistics from 1951, out of a population of about 30,000 inhabitants, there are 6,700 Catholics and 23,612 Protestants. There are 12 Marist missionaries, of whom 4 are indigenous, 32 sisters, 8 primary stations, 21 secondary stations, 20 elementary schools, and 6 secondary schools.