The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chengdu (formerly spelt Chengtu) (Latin: Dioecesis Cemtuana; simplified Chinese: 天主教成都教区; traditional Chinese: 天主教成都教區) is a suffragan Latin Catholic diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Chongqing covering southwestern China's Sichuan area, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Diocese of Chengdu Dioecesis Cemtuana 天主教成都教區 天主教成都教区 | |
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Location | |
Country | China |
Ecclesiastical province | Chongqing |
Metropolitan | Chongqing |
Statistics | |
Area | 100,000 km2 (39,000 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 1950) 20,000,000 40,240 (0.2%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 15 October 1696 (as apostolic vicariate) |
Cathedral | Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Chengdu |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Joseph Tang Yuange |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Sede vacante |
Established on 15 October 1696 as an apostolic vicariate, its episcopal see is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (colloquially known as Ping'anqiao Church) located in the city of Chengdu. The Diocese of Chengdu is the first bishopric of the Catholic Church in Sichuan (Szechwan), since the separation of the mission's eastern territory in 1856, it was designated Western Szechwan Mission.
The diocese, based in Chengdu, covers 4 cities, namely, Chengdu (Tchen-tou-fou), Deyang (Te-yang-hien), Guangyuan (Koang-yuen-hien) and Mianyang (Mien-tcheou-hien), and 37 districts and counties, totaling an area of 54,900 square kilometers.[1]
It is bordered by the Diocese of Kangding to the west, Diocese of Shunqing to the east, Diocese of Jiading to the south, Diocese of Qinzhou to the northwest, and Diocese of Hanzhong to the northeast.
No recent statistics available.
One of the headquarters of the Spanish Redemptorist missions in Sichuan was based in the Apostolic Vicariate of Chengtu.[3]
All Roman Rite; so far, like other members of Latin congregations, it has ministered by European missionaries for most of its history.[2]
30°39′59″N 104°03′34″E / 30.66638°N 104.05935°E