Diocese of

Shantou 汕頭

China

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Shantou 汕頭 (中文) / Swatow / Shàntóu 汕头 (简体中文) / Scianteuven(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Guangzhou 廣州

Neighbouring Dioceses: Hong Kong 香港 (↙), Guangzhou 廣州 (←), Jiaying 嘉應 (↑), Xiamen 廈門 (↗)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Now Governed by Patriotic Diocese: Shantou 汕頭 Uncanonical Diocese

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1914.04.06: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Chaozhou 潮州 (中文) / Kiaotsu / Cháozhōu 潮州 (简体中文) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Guangdong 廣東)
1915.08.18: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Shantou 汕頭 (中文) / Swatow / Shàntóu 汕头 (简体中文) / de Swatow (Latin)
1924.01.31: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Jiangmen 江門
1929.02.20: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Jiaying 嘉應
1946.04.11: Promoted as Diocese of Shantou 汕頭 (中文) / Swatow / Shàntóu 汕头 (简体中文) / Scianteuven(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Guangzhou 廣州)

Present Prelates

Bishop ([2011] 2018.12 – ...):

Bishop Joseph Huang Bing-zhang (黃炳章) (59)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Shantou 汕頭 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Huang Bing-zhang (黃炳章) (59)
(2018.12 – ...)

Bishop of Shantou 汕頭 (China)

為一切人，成為一切

Born:	1967.01 (惠來縣, 廣東, China)
Ordained Priest:	1991.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.07.14 (no papal mandate)

Bishop of Shantou 汕頭 (China) ([2011] 2018.12 – ...)

Bishop Peter Zhuang Jian-jian (莊建堅) (95)
(2006 – 2018.12)

Bishop emeritus of Shantou 汕頭 (China)

Born:	1930 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1986.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.09.18 (clandestinely)

Bishop of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (2006 – 2018.12)

Bishop John Cai Ti-yuan (蔡體遠) ▼
(1981 – 1997.11.24▼)

Born:	1920 (China)
Ordained Priest:	1949
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.09.27 (no papal mandate)
Died:	1997.11.24 (Shantou, China † 76)

Bishop of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (1981 – 1997.11.24▼)

Bishop Charles Vogel (荷敬謙), M.E.P.
(1946.04.11 – 1958.04.13)

Born:	1878.11.03 (Bischwir, France)
Ordained Priest:	1901.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.05.01
Died:	1958.04.13 (Montbeton, France † 79)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (1934.12.10 – 1935.12.09)

Titular Bishop of Parlais (1934.12.10 – 1946.04.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (1935.12.09 – 1946.04.11)

Bishop of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (1946.04.11 – 1958.04.13)

Vicars Apostolic of Shantou 汕頭 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Charles Vogel (荷敬謙), M.E.P.
(1935.12.09 – 1946.04.11)

(see above)

Bishop Adolphe Rayssac (實茂芳), M.E.P.
(1914.07.17 – 1935.05.01)

Born:	1866.11.04 (Lunan, France)
Ordained Priest:	1889.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1915.05.01
Died:	1941.06.17 (Montbeton, France † 74)

Vicar Apostolic of Shantou 汕頭 (China) (1914.07.17 – 1935.05.01)

Titular Bishop of Cotyæum (1914.07.17 – 1941.06.17)

Apostolic Administrator of Guangzhou 廣州 (China) (1915.03.11 – 1917.02.12)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Charles Vogel (荷敬謙), M.E.P. (1934.12.10 – 1935.12.09)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Joseph, Shantou 汕头, Guangdong

Hong Kong 香港 (↙), Guangzhou 廣州 (←), Jiaying 嘉應 (↑), Xiamen 廈門 (↗)

Statistics (1950.12.31)

Area: 20,000 km²

Population: 30,000 Catholics (0.6% of 5,000,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 30 parishes, 200 missions

Personnel: 59 priests (diocesan), 15 religious (15 sisters)

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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