Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Shan-si

The Faith was carried for the first time into the Province of Shan-si. Norhter China, by the Jesuit and Franciscan Fathers during the sixteenth century. At first the province was under the jurisdiction of the bishops of Peking; in 1698 it was erected, with the Province of Shen-si, a vicariate Apostolic by Innocent XII. From 1762 to 1838 the two Provinces of Hu-pe and Hu-nan were added to the same vicariate. On 17 June, 1890, the Vicariate Apostolic of Shan-si was divided into two missions: Northern and Southern Shan-si. In 1900 the notorious Yu-Hien ordered a wholesale massacre of misisonaries, both Catholic and Protestant, at T'ai-yuan-fu. Grogorio Grassi, vicar Apostolic, his coadjutor Francisco Fogolla, Fathers Facchini, Saccani, Throdoric Balat, Egide. Brother Andrew Baur, seven Franciscan Sister of Mary, several native priests, and many Christians were massacred. The vicariate Apostolic has 6,000,000 inhabitants. The mission is entrusted to the Franciscan Fathers. The present vicar Apostolic is the Right Rev. Eugene Massi, who resides at T'ai-yuan.

In 1904 the Catholic community numbered: 11 European Franciscan Fathers; 14 native priests; 14,700 Catholics; 2500 catechumens. In 1910 there were: 15 European Franciscan Fathers; 16 native priests; 24 churches; 154 chapels, 269 stations; 2 seminaries, with 33 students; 150 schools for boys, with 900 pupils; 20 schools for girls, with 200 pupils; 1 asylum for old men, with 118 inmates; 6 orphanages, with 609 inmates; 10 Franciscan Sisters of Mary; 18,200 Catholics; 7302 catechumens.

Missiones Catholicæ (Rome, 1907).

V. H. Montanar.