Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamhung

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamhung (Lat: Dioecesis Hameungensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in North Korea.

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 Hamheung in 1950. Like the Diocese of P'yong-yang, the Vicariate was elevated to a full diocese in 1962. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Seoul

Persecutions

In 1949, 166 priests and religious were martyred in the Communist revolution of Kim Il-sung. This left the diocese bereft of priests. Father Josef Bonifatius Saur had passed away in 1940, 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 persecutions continue in North Korea.

Ordinaries

• Bonifatius (Josef) Sauer, O.S.B. † (Vicar Apostolic: 25 Aug 1920 to 12 Jan 1940)
• Vacant (1940-1962)
• Timotheus (Franz Xaver) Bitterli, O.S.B. † (Apostolic Administrator: 10 Mar 1962 to 22 May 1981)
• Vacant (1982-present)

See also

• Catholic Church in South Korea