VICARIATO APOSTOLICO DELLE ISOLE T. - Protestants established themselves there in 1827 and, taking advantage of the ambitious chief of Haapaii, Taoufa-Ahaou, made many proselytes.
On 13 Oct. 1837, Mgr. Pompalver was forbidden to land at Vavau. On 2 July 1842, the same Mgr. Pompalver and Fr. Chevron were able to establish themselves on the Island of Tongatabu. After patient work of penetration, the first conversions took place in 1843. In 1852 the Protestants began a campaign of calumnies against the Catholics which, through the action of King Georges I, led in 1852 to open persecution, lasting until 1855. In the following years the mission was able to develop fairly 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, diocesi di). From it were detached the apostolic vicariate of New Caledonia (1847), the apostolic vicariate of the Navigator Islands Archipelago (1850), the apostolic prefecture, now vicariate, of the Fiji Islands (1863); other islands were annexed to the apostolic vicariate of the Gilbert Islands, when the latter was erected (1897). In 1935 the apostolic vicariate of Wallis and Futuna was detached. On 13 Apr. 1937 it received its present designation.
According to the statistics of 1951, out of a population of approximately 30,000 inhabitants, there are 6,700 Catholics and 23,612 Protestants. The Marist missionaries number 12, including 4 natives; there are 32 sisters, 8 primary stations, 21 secondary stations, 20 elementary schools, and 6 higher schools.