Archdiocese of Chongqing
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chongqing is a Latin Church Metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in southwestern China, yet still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The Archbishop of Chongqing is the primate of the Catholic Church in Sichuan.
Established on 2 April 1856 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Szechwan, its archiepiscopal see is the Cathedral of St. Joseph, located in the provincial-level city of Chongqing, which lies in the eastern part of the mission territory, hence the designation of Eastern Szechwan Mission. The archdiocese has been vacant without an apostolic administrator since 2001.
Statistics and extent
The archdiocese covers the southern part of Chongqing, while the north, including 1 district and 8 counties, is under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Wanxian. It is bordered by the Diocese of Suifu to the west, Diocese of Shunqing to the northwest, Diocese of Wanxian to the northeast, Diocese of Shinan to the east, Diocese of Yuanling to the southeast, Apostolic Prefecture of Shiqian and Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guiyang to the south.In 1950, it pastorally served 37,608 Catholics on 135,187 square miles in 42 parishes with 85 diocesan priests and 120 religious.
Ecclesiastical province
Its suffragan sees are:- Diocese of Chengdu
- Diocese of Jiading
- Diocese of Kangding
- Diocese of Ningyuan
- Diocese of Shunqing
- Diocese of Suifu
- Diocese of Wanxian, its daughter
History
- Established on 2 April 1856 as Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Szechwan, renamed on 24 January 1860 as Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Szechwan, on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Szechwan, separating it from North-western Szechwan and its first name was South-eastern Szechwan. There were nine European and ten native priests, the mission being confided to Paris Foreign Missions Society. Eugène-Jean-Claude-Joseph Desflèches, Titular Bishop of Sinita, was elected as the first apostolic vicar. Missionaries and Christians were subject to imperial persecutions, but after the Sino-French War of 1860, they obtained entire freedom to preach. In 1860 the mission was divided into two apostolic vicariates: Eastern and Southern Szechwan. The missionaries obtained from Chinese officials a piece of ground in the city of Chongqing, as compensation for the losses undergone by the mission. New persecutions broke out: at You-yang, Jean-Honoré Eyraud was put in jail and François Mabileau and Jean-François Rigaud were murdered; at Kien-Kiang, Jean Hue and Michel Tay were killed in 1873; on 8 March 1876, the settlements of the Christians were pillaged at Kiang-pe., elected coadjutor in 1882, in 1888 succeeded Bishop Desflèches, who was 'promoted' Titular Archbishop of Claudiopolis in Honoriade. In 1886 the buildings of the mission at Chongqing were pillaged and destroyed, the bishop and missionaries had to retire into the Chinese tribunal. In 1891,, titular Bishop of Dausara, succeeded Bishop Coupat. In 1898, François Fleury was captured by and held prisoner for months.
- Renamed on 3 December 1924 after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Chungking.
- Lost territory on 2 August 1929 to establish the then Apostolic Vicariate of Wanhsien, now its suffragan
- Promoted on 11 April 1946 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chungking.
Episcopal ordinaries
; Apostolic Vicar of Southeastern Szechwan
- Eugène-Jean-Claude-Joseph Desflèches ; previously Titular Bishop of Sinita as Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of Szechwan ; emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Claudiopolis in Honoriade.
- Eugène-Jean-Claude-Joseph Desflèches, M.E.P.
- , M.E.P. , succeeding as former Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Szechwan and Titular Bishop of Thagaste
- , M.E.P. , Titular Bishop of Zela ; died 1898
- , M.E.P. , Titular Bishop of Dausara
- , M.E.P. , Titular Bishop of Tremithus
- Louis-Gabriel-Xavier Jantzen, M.E.P., emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Phasis
- uncanonical, i.e. without papal mandate: , died 1978
- without papal mandate: , died 1992