This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (January 2017) |
The Diocese of Hamhung is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in North Korea.
Diocese of Hamhung Dioecesis Hameungensis 함흥 교구 | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country |  North Korea |
| Ecclesiastical province | Seoul |
| Metropolitan | Seoul |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 49,375 km2 (19,064 sq mi) |
| Population - Catholics | unknown |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | August 5, 1920 |
| Cathedral | Destroyed in Korean War |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Sede vacante |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Andrew Yeom Soo-jung |
| Apostolic Administrator | Simon Kim Ju-young |
| Map | |
 | |
Originally erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Wonsan in 1920, the name has been changed twice, once to Kankoensis o Hameungensis in 1940, and finally, as the Apostolic Vicariate of Hamhung in 1950. Like the Diocese of Pyongyang, the Vicariate was elevated to a full diocese in 1962. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Seoul.
Persecutions
editIn 1949, 166 priests and religious were martyred in the Communist revolution of Kim Il Sung. This left the diocese bereft of priests. Bishop Boniface Sauer, the abbot of Tokwon Abbey, had died in 1950, and no bishop had been re-appointed to the diocese. Finally, in 1962, Timotheus (Franz Xaver) Bitterli, was appointed in absentia as the bishop of the diocese, and was the apostolic administrator for 20 years until his resignation in 1981. Since then, the diocese has remained vacant, and it will likely remain so as long as the persecution of Christians in North Korea continues.
Ordinaries
editVicars Apostolic of Hamheung
edit- Bonifatius Sauer, OSB (1920-1950)
- Timotheus Bitterli, OSB (1950–1962; apostolic administrator)
Bishops of Hamhung
edit- Timotheus Bitterli, OSB (1962–1981; apostolic administrator)
- Abbot Placidus Lee Dong-ho (1981–2005; apostolic administrator)
- John Chang Yik (2005–2010; apostolic administrator)
- Luke Kim Woon-hoe (2010–2020; apostolic administrator)
- Simon Kim Ju-young (2020–present; apostolic administrator)
