Yenki [Yanji], Diocese of

YENKI [YANJI], Diocese of. - It is located in the eastern part of Manchuria and comprises the entire civil prefecture of the same name, divided into two sub-prefectures, with an area of 63,770 sq. km. and a population of 1,200,000 inhabitants.

Erected on 19 March 1928 as an apostolic prefecture by dismemberment of the present diocese of Kirin and entrusted to the Benedictine Congregation of St. Ottilia, it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate on 13 April 1937 and on 11 April 1946 to a diocese, suffragan of Moukden. From 1945 to the present this mission has experienced the harsh trials of the Russian regime. The last eight missionaries of St. Ottilia left the diocese in August 1952. There remains at present only one Chinese priest, as well as two nuns, who live privately. Msgr. Theodore Breher died in November 1950 as a result of the maltreatment and privations suffered in prison. The diocese, now (1953), is nominally governed by an apostolic administrator. According to the statistical data of 1945, the missionary personnel consisted of 20 Benedictines and 8 native priests; 14 foreign brothers and one native; 18 foreign nuns and 14 native. Catholics numbered 18,000.

Until 1934 the territory of Y. was commonly known by the name of Kanto, where the Gospel arrived without missionaries. In 1896 an inhabitant of Kanto, a Korean, went to Wonsan (in Korea proper) and there had the opportunity to be instructed and baptized by Fr. Vermorel, of the Foreign Missions of Paris. The following year, the zealous neophyte returned there with 12 persons whom he himself had catechized, who were also baptized. A catechist was then sent to Kanto, and until 1908 a missionary visited the new Christian community every year. In 1910 a Korean priest also went there, and he settled on the spot together with two other fathers of the Foreign Missions of Paris. In 1921 the Benedictines of St. Ottilia assumed care of the region of Y. In only six years the number of Christians rose from 7,000 to 12,000. In 1934, in the city of Y. the abbey of the Holy Cross was canonically erected and the appointment of the abbot fell upon the same person as the apostolic vicar, Msgr. Breher.

Edoardo Pecoraio