Diocese of

Beihai 北海

China

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Beihai 北海 (中文) / Pakhoi / Běihǎi 北海 (简体中文) / Pehæven(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Guangzhou 廣州

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Now Governed by Patriotic Dioceses: Zhanjiang 湛江 Uncanonical Diocese , Guangxi 廣西

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1920.08.01: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Western Guangdong and Hainan 粵西海南 (中文) / Western Kwangtung and Hainan (English) / Kuangtong Occidentale ed Hainan (Italiano) / Western Guǎngdōng and Hǎinán 粤西海南 (简体中文) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Guangzhou 廣州)
1924.12.03: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Beihai 北海 (中文) / Pakhoi / Běihǎi 北海 (简体中文) / de Pakhoi (Latin)
1929.04.15: Lost territory to establish Mission sui juris of Hainan 海南
1946.04.11: Promoted as Diocese of Beihai 北海 (中文) / Pakhoi / Běihǎi 北海 (简体中文) / Pehæven(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Guangzhou 廣州)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2004 – ...):

Bishop Paul Su Yong-da (蘇永大) (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Beihai 北海 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Paul Su Yong-da (蘇永大) (67)
(2004 – ...)

Bishop of Beihai 北海 (China)

Born:	1958.07.06 (Zhanjiang, China)
Ordained Priest:	1991.05.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.11.09

Bishop of Beihai 北海 (China) (2004 – ...)

Bishop Joseph Chen Chu (陳除) ▼
(1995 – 2003.03.19▼)

Born:	1922.03.19 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1949.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.03.19 (no papal mandate)
Died:	2003.03.19 (Zhanjiang, China † 81)

Bishop of Beihai 北海 (China) (1995 – 2003.03.19▼)

Bishop Gustave-Joseph Deswazières (祝福), M.E.P.
(1946.04.11 – 1959.02.22)

Born:	1882.10.14 (Tourcoing, France)
Ordained Priest:	1905.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.01.27
Died:	1959.02.22 (Lille, France † 76)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1928.02.15 – 1928.11)

Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Numidia (1928.02.18 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1940.11.27 – 1946.04.11)

Bishop of Beihai 北海 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1959.02.22)

Vicars Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gustave-Joseph Deswazières (祝福), M.E.P.
(1940.11.27 – 1946.04.11)

(see above)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste-Michel-Marie-Louis Pénicaud (賁德馨), M.E.P.
(1929.12.16 – 1940.02)

Born:	1874.05.14 (Limoges, France)
Ordained Priest:	1898.03.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.11.09
Died:	1943.01.19 (Saïgon, Vietnam † 68)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1929.12.16 – 1940.02)

Titular Bishop of Assus (1929.12.16 – 1943.01.19)

Bishop-elect Gustave-Joseph Deswazières (祝福), M.E.P.
(1928.02.15 – 1928.11)

Born:	1882.10.14 (Tourcoing, France)
Ordained Priest:	1905.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.01.27
Died:	1959.02.22 (Lille, France † 76)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1928.02.15 – 1928.11)

Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Numidia (1928.02.18 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1940.11.27 – 1946.04.11)

Bishop of Beihai 北海 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1959.02.22)

Bishop Auguste Gauthier (俄永垂), M.E.P.
(1924.12.03 – 1927.05.12)

Born:	1868.05.26 (Saint-Haon, France)
Ordained Priest:	1894.07.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.05.25
Died:	1927.05.12 (Hong Kong † 58)

Vicar Apostolic of Western Guangdong and Hainan 粵西海南 (China) (1921.06.01 – 1924.12.03)

Titular Bishop of Doberus (1921.06.01 – 1927.05.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Beihai 北海 (China) (1924.12.03 – 1927.05.12)

Vicars Apostolic of Western Guangdong and Hainan 粵西海南 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Auguste Gauthier (俄永垂), M.E.P.
(1921.06.01 – 1924.12.03)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Victor, Zhanjiang 湛江, Guangdong

Hai Phòng (←), Nanning 南寧 (↖), Wuzhou 梧州 (↗), Jiangmen 江門 (→), Hainan 海南 (↓)

Statistics (1950.12.31)

Area: 22,000 km²

Population: 15,105 Catholics (0.5% of 3,200,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 18 parishes, 20 missions

Personnel: 27 priests (diocesan), 72 religious (72 sisters), 4 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.01.23

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