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	17 March 1927 (prefecture apostolic) 11 July 1939 (vicariate apostolic) 10 March 1962 (diocese)
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]

Ordinaries

Prefect Apostolic of Hpyeng-yang (Peng-yang)

• Patrick James Byrne, MM (appointed 9 November 1927 – 12 August 1929)
• John Edward Morris, MM (1 April 1930 – 31 July 1936)

Vicars Apostolic of Heijō

• William O'Shea, MM (11 July 1939 – 27 February 1945)
• Francis Hong Yong-ho (24 March 1944 – 12 July 1950)

Vicars Apostolic of Pyongyang

• Francis Hong Yong-ho (12 July 1950 – 10 March 1962; imprisoned 1949)
• George Carroll, MM (1950 – 1962; apostolic administrator)

Bishops of Pyongyang

• Francis Hong Yong-ho (appointed 10 March 1962, imprisoned 1949; later disappeared, death acknowledged in June 2013)
• George Carroll, MM (1962 – 1975; apostolic administrator)
• Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (1975 – 1998; apostolic administrator)
• Cardinal Nicolas Cheong Jin-Suk (1998 – 2012; apostolic administrator)
• Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung (2012– ; apostolic administrator)

References