VINH, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. – It is situated in the southeastern region of Annam (Vietnam), which faces the Gulf of Tonkin.
It was erected on 27 March 1846, under the name of Southern Tonkin, by separation from the Vicariate of Western Tonkin, and entrusted to the Society of the Foreign Missions of Paris. The present designation of V. dates from 3 Dec. 1924. Since 1947, the mission has been almost entirely under Vietminh control. Communications with the rest of the country are very difficult, except with the neighboring Vicariate of Thanh-Hoa, which is likewise under Vietminh control.
The Apostolic Vicariate of V., comprising the provinces of Nghe-An and Ha-Tinh and the northern part of Quang-Binh province, has 167,469 faithful among 1,800,000 inhabitants. In the present situation, the Christians’ unwavering fidelity to the Church, even at the cost of grave sacrifices, deserves emphasis. The history of the evangelization of this vicariate merges with that of all the missions of Tonkin, whose origins are closely linked to the name of Fr. Rhodes (v.). There are 180 national priests and 26 foreign priests; the latter have all been confined by the Vietminh. There are also 2 national brothers, 165 national sisters, 16 primary and 430 secondary stations, 160 churches, and 386 chapels. Although, by order of the Vietminh government, the city of V. has been almost completely razed to the ground, the cathedral, bishop’s residence, procuration, and convents have so far been spared. On 24 June 1951, the Apostolic Vicariate of V. was transferred from the Society of the Foreign Missions of Paris to the Vietnamese secular clergy.