VINH, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. — It is located in the south-eastern region of Annam (Vietnam), which faces the Gulf of Tonkin.
It was erected on 27 March 1846 under the name of Southern Tonkin, detached from that of Western Tonkin, and entrusted to the Paris Foreign Missions Society. The current name of V. dates from 3 December 1924. Since 1947, the mission has been almost entirely under the control of the Vietminh. Communications with the rest of the country are very difficult, except with the neighbouring vicariate of Thanh-Hoa, which is also 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 out of a total population of 1,800,000. In the present situation, the unwavering fidelity of the Christians to the Church, even at the cost of great sacrifices, must be noted. The history of the evangelisation of this vicariate is intertwined with that of all the missions of Tonkin, whose origins are closely linked to the name of Fr. Rhodes (v.). There are 180 native priests and 26 foreign priests: the latter have all been confined by the Vietminh; there are also 2 native brothers, 165 native sisters, 16 primary stations 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, the episcopal residence, the procuracy and the convents have so far been spared. On 24 June 1951, the apostolic vicariate of V. was transferred from the Paris Foreign Missions Society to the Vietnamese secular clergy.