Roman Catholic Diocese of Xianxian

The Diocese of Xianxian/Síenhsíen (Latin: Scienscienen(sis), Chinese: 獻縣) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in China. Its episcopal see is the city of Xianxian. The diocese is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Beijing.

Quick facts Diocese of XianxianDioecesis Scienscienensis 天主教献县教区, Location ...

Diocese of Xianxian Dioecesis Scienscienensis 天主教献县教区

Sacred Heart Cathedral
Location
Country	China
Ecclesiastical province	Beijing
Statistics
Area	8,400 km² (3,200 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 1950) 2,200,000 62,000 (2.8%)
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Xianxian
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Joseph Li Liangui
Metropolitan Archbishop	Joseph Li Shan

Thumb — View of the mission at the end of the 19th century

May 30, 1856: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Chi-Li 直隸東南 from the Diocese of Beijing 北京
December 3, 1924: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Xianxian 獻縣
April 11, 1946: Promoted as Diocese of Xianxian 獻縣

According to the Zizhi Tongjian, Nestorian Christians were active in this area during the Tang dynasty^[1]. When John of Montecorvino served as bishop of Khanbalik (Beijing) during the Yuan dynasty, there was a Catholic parish in Hejian, located in what is now-modern Cangzhou (in Xianxian diocese). ^[2]

During the Ming dynasty, when Matteo Ricci came to Beijing, he passed through what would later become the territory of Xianxian diocese several times. He also established a Catholic community in Hejian. Johann Adam Schall von Bell and Nicolò Longobardo also did missionary work in the territory that later became Xianxian diocese.^[3]

In 1856, the Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Zhili (Chi-li) was created out of Beijing, and was composed of 35 counties, including the land that later became the diocese of Xianxian. French Jesuit Adrien Languillat was appointed as its first bishop. ^[4]

When the Vicariate Apostolic was first founded, the bishop's seat was originally located in the village of Zhaozhuang in Wei County (modern diocese of Xingtai), however, after being repeatedly attacked by bandits, the bishop moved to Zhangzhuang village in Xian county in 1861 where it is still located now (Xian = county in Chinese, therefore Xian county = Xianxian). The cathedral, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was built in 1863. ^[5]

Bishop Languillat resigned in order to be transferred to a different position in 1865. He ordained the French Jesuit Edouard-Auguste Dubar(杜巴爾) to succeed him as bishop.

Following the creation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the government sought to take control of the Catholic church in China. As part of this effort, diocesan boundaries were made to match government administrative regions, without Vatican approval for the changes. The bishop of Xianxian officially only had authority over the region of Cangzhou in Hebei.

Langfang (including Sanhe to Cangzhou's north, while traditionally belonging to the Archdiocese of Beijing was no longer part of the territory of Beijing archdiocese according to the boundary restructuring. A bishop was appointed to govern the church in Langfang, who served as an auxiliary under the bishop of Xianxian, and priests from Xianxian diocese administered sacraments in Langfang. Later the bishop of Xianxian was permitted by the government to govern all of Langfang and Langfang continues to be served by clergy of Xianxian diocese.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Xianxian

History

Leadership

References

See also

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