Hong-Kong

Vicariate Apostolic of Hong-Kong

The island of Hong-Kong was ceded by the Chinese Government to Great Britain in January, 1841, under some restrictions; the cession was completed by the Treaty of Nan-king of August, 1842. A prefect Apostolic under the Bishop of Macao was nominated by Gregory XVI (1846); a vicariate Apostolic was created in 1874, and intrusted (4 Oct.) to the Seminary of Foreign Missions of Milan, established in that city since 31 July, 1850 (see CHINA). The first vicar Apostolic was Giovanni Timoleone Raimondi, titular Bishop of Acanthus (22 Nov., 1874), who died at Mission House, Glenealy, Hong-Kong, 27 Sept., 1894. He was succeeded by Monsignor Luigi Piazzoli (born 1849), titular Bishop of Clazomenæ, and Domenico Pozzoni (born 1851), titular Bishop of Tavia, elected 26 May, 1905. This vicariate belongs to the fifth ecclesiastical region of China; it includes 12 European and 10 native priests and 14,195 Christians; there are 26 churches, 5 of them with resident priests; 40 schools for boys and 29 schools for girls; 12 Brothers of the Christian Schools; 35 Sisters of Canossa; 22 Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres; 54 native Sisters.

Besides the island of Hong-Kong, the vicariate includes the island of Lautau and adjacent islands and the three continental districts of Sa-non, Kwei-shing, and Haï-fung. The churches with resident priests are the cathedral (Glenealy), St. Joseph's (Garden Road), St. Francis (Wanchai), Church of the Sacred Heart (West Point), Church of St. Anthony (West Point). The Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris have a procurator, a sanitorium and a printing office at Hong-Kong (see CHINA); there is also a Dominican procurator.

HENRI CORDIER.