Metropolitan Archdiocese of Xi’an 西安, China

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Xi’an 西安 (中文) / Chang’an 長安 (中文) / Chang-An / Sian / Cháng’ān 长安 (简体中文) / Xī’ān 西安 (简体中文) / Singanen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Fengxiang 鳳翔, Hanzhong 漢中, Sanyuan 三原, Yan’an 延安, Zhouzhi 盩厔

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1911.04.12: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Central Shaanxi 陝西中境 (中文) / Central Shensi / Scen-si Centrale / Central Shǎnxī 陕西中境 (简体中文) / Scen-si centralis (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Shaanxi 陝西北境)
1924.12.03: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Xi’anfu 西安府 (中文) / Sianfu / Xī’ānfǔ 西安府 (简体中文) / de Sianfu (Latin)
1931.11.01: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Sanyuan 三原
1931.11.03: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Tongzhou 同州
1932.06.17: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Zhouzhi 盩厔
1932.11.15: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Fengxiangfu 鳳翔府
1946.04.11: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Xi’an 西安 (中文) / Chang’an 長安 (中文) / Chang-An / Sian / Cháng’ān 长安 (简体中文) / Xī’ān 西安 (简体中文) / Singanen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Fengxiang 鳳翔, Hanzhong 漢中, Sanyuan 三原 and Yan’an 延安)
1951.05.10: Gained suffragan see Zhouzhi 盩厔

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2006 – ...):

Archbishop Anthony Dang Ming-yan (黨明彥) (57)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Xi’an 西安 (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Anthony Dang Ming-yan (黨明彥) (57)
(2006 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Xi’an 西安 (China)

Born:	1967.07.12 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1991.09.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.07.26

Priest of Xi’an 西安 (China) (1991.09.15 – 2005)

Auxiliary Bishop of Xi’an 西安 (China) (2005 – 2006)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Xi’an 西安 (China) (2006 – ...)

Archbishop Anthony Li Du-an (李篤安)
(1987 – 2006.05.25)

Born:	1927.06.13 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1951.04.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1987.04.05
Died:	2006.05.25 († 78)

Apostolic Administrator of Xing’anfu 興安府 (China) (1987 – 2000)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Xi’an 西安 (China) (1987 – 2006.05.25)

Archbishop John Ji Huai-rang (姬懷讓), O.F.M. ▼ (later Bishop)
(1981 – 1987.02.24▼)

Born:	1909.11.27 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1936
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.12.18 (no papal mandate)
Died:	1987.02.24 († 77)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Xi’an 西安 (China) (1981 – 1987.02.24▼)

Bishop Pacific Li Huan-de (李宣德), O.F.M.
(Apostolic Administrator 1952.01.25 – 1972.02.16)

Archbishop Pacifico Giulio Vanni (萬九樓), O.F.M.
(1946.04.11 – 1952.05.10)

Born:	1893.09.25 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1920.03.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1932.10.23
Died:	1967.06.26 († 73)

Titular Bishop of Zapara (1932.06.14 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Xi’anfu 西安府 (China) (1932.06.14 – 1946.04.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Xi’an 西安 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1952.05.10)

Archbishop-Bishop of Sovana–Pitigliano (Italy) (1952.05.10 – 1963.07.13)

Vicars Apostolic of Xi’anfu 西安府 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Pacifico Giulio Vanni (萬九樓), O.F.M. (later Archbishop)
(1932.06.14 – 1946.04.11)

(see above)

Bishop Fiorenzo Umberto Tessiatore (戴夏德), O.F.M.
(1928.05.16 – 1932.04.10)

Born:	1892.04.27 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1914.11.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1928.07.22
Died:	1932.04.10 († 39)

Vicar Apostolic of Xi’anfu 西安府 (China) (1928.05.16 – 1932.04.10)

Titular Bishop of Algiza (1928.05.18 – 1932.04.10)

Bishop Eugenio Massi (希賢), O.F.M.
(1924.12.03 – 1927.01.26)

Born:	1875.08.13 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1898.02.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.05.15
Died:	1944.12.10 († 69)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Shanxi 山西北境 (China) (1910.02.15 – 1916.07.07)

Titular Bishop of Joppe (1910.02.15 – 1944.12.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Central Shaanxi 陝西中境 (China) (1916.07.07 – 1924.12.03)

Vicar Apostolic of Xi’anfu 西安府 (China) (1924.12.03 – 1927.01.26)

Apostolic Administrator of Hankou 漢口 (China) (1925 – 1927.01.26)

Vicar Apostolic of Hankou 漢口 (China) (1927.01.26 – 1944.12.10)

Vicars Apostolic of Central Shaanxi 陝西中境 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Eugenio Massi (希賢), O.F.M.
(1916.07.07 – 1924.12.03)

(see above)

Bishop Auguste-Jean-Gabriel Maurice (穆理思), O.F.M.
(1911.04.12 – 1916.07.07)

Born:	1862.10.10 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1885.09.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1908.11.30
Died:	1925.07.27 († 62)

Titular Bishop of Lesvi (1908.07.28 – 1925.07.27)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Shaanxi 陝西北境 (China) (1908.08.01 – 1911.04.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Central Shaanxi 陝西中境 (China) (1911.04.12 – 1916.07.07)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Anthony Dang Ming-yan (黨明彥) (57) (later Archbishop) (2005 – 2006)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Francis, Xi’an 西安, Shaanxi
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Zhouzhi 盩厔 (←), Sanyuan 三原 (↑), Tongzhou 同州 (↗), Luoyang 洛陽 (→), Nanyang 南陽 (→), Laohekou 老河口 (↘), Xing’anfu 興安府 (↓)

Statistics (1949.12.31)

Area: 12,000 km²

Population: 13,394 Catholics (0.9% of 1,500,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 15 parishes, 63 missions

Personnel: 21 priests (8 diocesan, 13 religious), 45 religious (1 brother, 44 sisters), 9 seminarians