Vicariate Apostolic of Unyanyembe
Encyclopedia
The Vicariate Apostolic of Unyanyembe was an Apostolic vicariate
located in German East Africa
. It was promoted to the Diocese of Tabora in 1925 and to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tabora in 1953.
penetrated this previously unknown region and endeavoured to settle at Tabora
, but was unsuccessful. Two years later R.P. Guillet succeeded and opened an orphanage
there, which was shortly afterwards transferred to Kipalapala one league distant. In 1844 R.P. Lourdel settled at Djiue-la-Singa, but the post was abandoned on 13 March, 1885. On 11 January, 1887, the mission of Unyanyembe was separated from Tanganika, with R.P. Girault as superior of the provicariate. On 23 August, 1887, Mgr Charbonnier was consecrated bishop in the Kipalapala orphanage chapel by Mgr Livinhac of Uganda. This was the first episcopal consecration in Equatorial Africa
. The station at Kipalapala was destroyed in 1889 by the natives. Two years later it was restored, and another was opened at Uchirombo. Towards the close of 1897 five Sisters of Notre-Dame d'Afrique
arrived at Uchirombo. In 1900 there were in this mission 20 priests, 6 nuns, 49 catechists, 1842 neophytes, 6000 catechumens, and 150 children in the schools. A German scientist, Dr. Kandt, a Protestant, was so impressed by the good work of the Catholic missionaries that he presented his estate at Tabora
to the vicar Apostolic to found a school and hospital. The first vicar Apostolic, Mgr Franćois Gerboin, of the White Fathers, born in 1847 and consecrated titular Bishop of Turbubto in 1897, resided at Ushirombo.
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
located in German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
. It was promoted to the Diocese of Tabora in 1925 and to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tabora in 1953.
Creation and boundaries
It was separated from the Vicariate Apostolic of Nyanza by a Decree of Propaganda on December 30, 1886. Its limits, as fixed on December 10, 1895, were:- North - the Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Nyanza
- East - a line drawn from Lake ManjaraLake ManyaraLake Manyara is a shallow lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. Said by Ernest Hemingway to be the "loveliest [lake] .....
(36°E.) along the mountain ridges to the North West of Ugago - South - the northern limits of Ujanzi, Ugunda, Ugetta, Uvenza, and UjijiUjijiUjiji is the oldest town in western Tanzania, located about 6 miles south of Kigoma. In 1900, the population was estimated at 10,000 and in 1967 about 4,100. Part of the Kigoma/Ujiji urban area, the regional population was about 50,000 in 1978....
- West - Lake Tanganika and the eastern boundary of the Congo Free StateCongo Free StateThe Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
to the village of Ruanda.
History
This district was originally included in the Vicariate of Tanganika. In 1879, R.P. Ganachan of the White FathersWhite Fathers
The missionary society known as "White Fathers" , after their dress, is a Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded in 1868 by the first Archbishop of Algiers, later Cardinal Lavigerie, as the Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa of Algeria, and is also now known as the Society of the...
penetrated this previously unknown region and endeavoured to settle at Tabora
Tabora
Tabora is the capital city of Tanzania's Tabora Region with a population of 127,880 . Tabora region is one of the largest geographical regions of Tanzania.- History :...
, but was unsuccessful. Two years later R.P. Guillet succeeded and opened an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
there, which was shortly afterwards transferred to Kipalapala one league distant. In 1844 R.P. Lourdel settled at Djiue-la-Singa, but the post was abandoned on 13 March, 1885. On 11 January, 1887, the mission of Unyanyembe was separated from Tanganika, with R.P. Girault as superior of the provicariate. On 23 August, 1887, Mgr Charbonnier was consecrated bishop in the Kipalapala orphanage chapel by Mgr Livinhac of Uganda. This was the first episcopal consecration in Equatorial Africa
Equatorial Africa
Equatorial Africa is an ambiguous term that is sometimes used to refer to tropical Africa, or the region of Sub-Saharan Africa traversed by the equator....
. The station at Kipalapala was destroyed in 1889 by the natives. Two years later it was restored, and another was opened at Uchirombo. Towards the close of 1897 five Sisters of Notre-Dame d'Afrique
Sisters of Notre Dame
Sisters of Notre Dame may refer to:*Congregation of Notre Dame de Montreal*School Sisters of Notre Dame*Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur*Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld...
arrived at Uchirombo. In 1900 there were in this mission 20 priests, 6 nuns, 49 catechists, 1842 neophytes, 6000 catechumens, and 150 children in the schools. A German scientist, Dr. Kandt, a Protestant, was so impressed by the good work of the Catholic missionaries that he presented his estate at Tabora
Tabora
Tabora is the capital city of Tanzania's Tabora Region with a population of 127,880 . Tabora region is one of the largest geographical regions of Tanzania.- History :...
to the vicar Apostolic to found a school and hospital. The first vicar Apostolic, Mgr Franćois Gerboin, of the White Fathers, born in 1847 and consecrated titular Bishop of Turbubto in 1897, resided at Ushirombo.
Mission statistics in 1905
- 33 priestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s - 7 lay brothers
- 6 nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s - 72 catechists
- 26 schools with 966 pupils
- 11 hospitals
- 5 leper houses
- 17 orphanages with 325 children rescued from slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
- 3,000,000 infidelsInfidelsInfidels is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 22nd studio album, released by Columbia Records in October 1983.Produced by Mark Knopfler and Dylan himself, Infidels is seen as his return to secular music, following a conversion to Christianity and three evangelical, gospel records...
- 678 Catholics
- 2889 catechumenCatechumenIn ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...
s.