Parishes 6 Rite Latin Rite Area 83,700 km² | Denomination Roman Catholic Established 1 March 1963 | |
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Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2010)1,467,1542,410 (0.2%) | ||
Vicariate Apostolic of Luang Prabang (Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Luangensis Prabangensis) is an apostolic vicariate (pre-diocesan jurisdiction, entitled to a titular bishop) of the Latin Roman Catholic Church in northern Laos.
Contents
It is exempt, i.e. directly dependent on the Holy See (not part of any ecclesiastical province) and its missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. It has no episcopal see, its former Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Luang Prabang, having been secularized. It is vacant since 1975, entrusted to 'temporary' Apostolic administrators.
Statistics
The vicariate covers 80,425 km² in the northern Lation civic provinces of Luang Prabang, Xaignabouli, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Louang Namtha and Bokeo.
As per 2014, it pastorally cares for 2,693 Catholics (0.2% of 1,692,000 total) in 8 parishes;with 1 priest (diocesan) and 5 seminarians.
History
It was established on March 1 1963, when it was split off from the Vicariate Apostolic of Vientiane.
Since the communist takeover of Laos in 1975 the Catholic Church in the vicariate of Luang Prabang has been strongly suppressed. Three churches were existing in Luang Prabang 1975, of which one was destroyed, one became a police station and one is used as a residential home. Also the bishop is only allowed to travel to two of the six provinces, namely Luang Prabang and Xaignabouli, and also has to stay in Vientiane as the government doesn't give him a permanent staying permit for the north. However recently the situation starts to improve, in 2005 the first church built since 1975 could be consegrated in Ban Pong Vang (Xaignabouli), also in 2003 the church was allowed to buy land in Luang Prabang to build a residence within the vicariate.
Ordinaries
(all Roman Rite)