Roman Catholic bishopric of Odense Lolland), the latter until 1620. Finally there were hospitals of the Holy Spirit at Odense, Assens, Faaborg and Nakskov, and a Commandery of the Knights of St. John at Odense. The former Catholic dioceses in Denmark were never reestablished. Instead, the new Catholic missionary clergy in the whole, predominantly Lutheran, country was made part of the 7 July 1868 established Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Missions, which in 1869 was demoted as Apostolic Prefecture of Denmark, on 15 March 1892 promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Denmark. Finally on April 29, 1953 it was promoted as exempt Diocese of Copenhagen, including the
Odense From the 16th century the town was the meeting-place of several parliaments, and until 1805 Odense was the seat of the provincial assembly of Funen. By 1700 Odense's population was about 4,000. Dramatic changes began in Odense in the 18th century to modernise the city and a great plan was drawn up for development. In 1720, Frederick IV ordered the rebuilding of Odense Palace, partly on the foundations of the 13th century St. Hans’s Monastery, and the construction of St Hans’s Church by the Knights Hospitallers. An 8 kilometre (5.0 mi) long, 7.5 metre (25 ft) deep canal from Odense