St. Mary of Cologne, the Catholic faith on the island of Yap
In Cologne, the capital of the state of Yap, the church of St. Mary is the center of the Catholic life of the island, within the diocese of the Carolines Islands. His history dates back to the Spanish cappuccinos who landed in Yap on June 29, 1886, founding the first stable Christian mission of the Carolines.
🌹 Wonders and anecdotes
- On June 29, 1886, six Spanish cappuccinos - three priests and three brothers - arrived in the Manila steam landed in Yap; in February 1887, the first Yapese were baptized; in 1892 the construction of the church began and in 1899 the baptized were already over the thousand.
- After the Spanish cappuccinos came the Germans (from 1899) and, after the Second World War, the Jesuits Americans, until in 1995 the Carolinas received their first local bishop: a missionary chain of more than a century.
- Faith has become a culture: on the Holy Friday of St. Mary of Cologne the Monaguillos wear the traditional "thu," and on the Easter Mass many faithful, including the celebrant, wear the "nuunuw," a crown woven with flowers and leaves that is a sign of reception.
- The parish belongs to the diocese of the Carolines Islands, erected on December 19, 1905, which covers the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau, with some 63,437 Catholics (about 55% of the population in 2023) under Bishop Julio Angkel.
Saint Mary of Cologne (Yap)
In Yap, where the ancient tradition and the Gospel walk together, the church of St. Mary of Cologne collects the fruit of the Spanish capuchin of 1886. Traditional flower corones and garments today adorn the liturgy of a deeply Catholic people.
"Holy Mary, Mother of the peoples of the sea, keeps the Church of Yap that flourished from the missionary seed.
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