Roman Catholic Diocese of Pyongyang

Diocese of Pyongyang Dioecesis Pyeongyangensis 평양 교구
Location
Country	North Korea
Ecclesiastical province	Seoul
Metropolitan	Seoul
Statistics
Population - Total	Unknown
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	Prefecture apostolic on 17 March 1927, Vicariate apostolic on 11 July 1939, Diocese on 10 March 1962
Cathedral	Changchung Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Sede vacante
Apostolic Administrator	Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop of Seoul
Map

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pyongyang is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in North Korea. Its only official bishop, Francis Hong Yong-ho, was imprisoned by the communist regime of Kim Il-sung in 1949 and later disappeared. The Archbishop of Seoul acts as the Apostolic Administrator in Pyongyang, as religion is suppressed in North Korea.

History

The diocese was originally erected as the Prefecture Apostolic of Hpyeng-yang on 17 March 1927, and renamed as the Prefecture Apostolic of Peng-yang on 17 March 1929. It was elevated as the Vicariate Apostolic of Heijo on 11 July 1939, and renamed the Vicariate Apostolic of Pyong-Yang on 12 July 1950. It was elevated further as the Diocese of Pyongyang on 10 March 1962.^[1][2]

Past and present ordinaries

Prefects Apostolic of Hpyeng-yang ^[1][2]

• Monsignor Patrick Joseph Byrne, M.M. (appointed 9 November 1927 – title changed to Prefect Apostolic of Peng-yang on 17 March 1929)

Prefects Apostolic of Peng-yang ^[1][2]

• Monsignor Patrick Joseph Byrne, M.M. (appointed on 17 March 1929 – resigned on 12 August 1929 )
• Monsignor John Edward Morris, M.M. (appointed on 1 April 1930 – resigned on 31 July 1936)

Vicars-Apostolic of Heijō ^[1][2]

• Bishop William O'Shea, M.M. (appointed on 11 July 1939 – resigned on 27 February 1945)
• Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho (appointed on 24 March 1944 – title changed to vicar-apostolic of Pyongyang on 12 July 1950)

Vicars-Apostolic of Pyongyang ^[1][2]

• Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho (appointed on 12 July 1950 – appointed bishop of Pyongyang on 10 March 1962)

• Monsignor George Carroll, M.M (Apostolic Administrator 1950–1962)

Bishops of Pyongyang ^[1][2]

• Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho (appointed on 10 March 1962, imprisoned in 1949 and later disappeared, death finally acknowledged in June 2013)

• Monsignor George Carroll, M.M (Apostolic Administrator 1962–1975)
• Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (Apostolic Administrator 1975–1998)
• Cardinal Nicolas Cheong Jin-Suk (Apostolic Administrator 1998–2012)
• Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung (Apostolic Administrator 2012–present)

References