Catholic Intelligence

Apostolic Prefecture of Xinjiang-Urumqi

Sinkiangen(sis)

Latin-rite apostolic prefecture covering the Xinjiang region of northwestern China, established in 1930 as a mission sui iuris split from the Apostolic Vicariate of Lanchowfu and promoted to apostolic prefecture in 1938. An exempt jurisdiction directly dependent on the Holy See, its principal church is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Urumqi; the prefecture has been vacant since the death of Bishop Paul Xie Tingzhe in 2017.

The see

Rank
Apostolic prefecture
Tradition
Latin Church
Erected
21 May 1938
Latin
Sinkiangen(sis)
Annuario code
001000502

The see in figures

Extent
1,664,897 km²

Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.

The bishop

The register holds no ordinary for this see. Where a chair is vacant the vacancy is the fact, and it is recorded rather than filled in. See the bishop.

The cathedral

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Urumqi stands in Xinjiang-Urumqi, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.

On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.

History

Spanning the vast Xinjiang region of northwestern China, the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinjiang-Urumqi is a pre-diocesan missionary Latin jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. It belongs to no ecclesiastical province, being exempt and directly dependent on the Holy See and its missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

What is kept by invitation

The record above is published because it is public: what this see is, when it was erected, who holds its chair, and where it stands among its neighbours.

The working record is not. The chancery's address, telephone and email, the clergy of the see, and the hours of Mass, confession and adoration in the parishes within it are kept for members, and a person reads every request.

Ask to enter

Sources

The see's own website · Wikipedia

This record is compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. On the method, see the keeping of the record. Whoever finds an error is asked, in charity, to write: [email protected].