VATICAN - Catholic prayers in the languages of the world: TAHITIAN

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Tahiti is part of French Polynesia. In 1774-1775 two Franciscans from Peru made an unsuccessful attempt at evangelisation.
1883: creation of Apostolic Vicariate of East Oceania entrusted to the PICPUS Fathers of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary;
1834: first PICPUS missionaries reach Gambier Islands
1844: Hawaii or Sandwich Islands separated from separate Apostolic Vicariate of East Oceania are raised to the rank of Apostolic Vicariate of Hawaii;
1848 (9 May): division of southern part of the Apostolic Vicariate of East Oceania, and creation of Apostolic Vicariate Tahiti and Apostolic Vicariate of the Marquesas Islands.
21 June 1966 Apostolic Vicariate elevated to the rank of Metropolitan archdiocese of Papeete.
The archdiocese has an area of 2.615sq km, a population of 244,000 who whom 91,800 are Catholics, gathered in 55 parishes, assisted by 28 priests (15 diocesan, 13 religious), 44 women religious 41 Brothers. Archbishop Hubert Coppenrath, who succeeded Archbishop Michel-Gaspard Coppenrath on June 4 1999. (JM.) (Agenzia Fides 3/11/2006, righe: 15 parole: 171)