Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul

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Not to be confused with Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul.

The Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (or of Constantinople) ( Exarchatus Apostolicus Constantinopolitanus) is the senior of two missionary pre-diocesan Eastern Catholic jurisdictions that constitute the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite in the Greek language.

It is directly subject to the Holy See, as the Greek Catholic Church, does not have a metropolitan. The Apostolic Exarchate covers all territory of Turkey. Its cathedral episcopal see is the Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise (Holy Trinity Rum Catholic Church) in Istanbul. As of 2017, it was the sole parish of the exarchate and has 16 parishioners.

History[]

The first steps toward creating a particular jurisdiction for Greek Catholics of the Byzantine Rite in the European part of the Ottoman Empire were made in 1907, when Greek Catholic priest Isaias Papadopoulos was made vicar general for the Greek Catholics within the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Delegation of Constantinople.[1]

The Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Constantinople (Istanbul) was founded on June 11, 1911, as the Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of European Turkey.[2] At the same time, on June 28 (1911), Isaias Papadopoulos was appointed titular bishop of Gratianopolis,[3] and he was also entrusted with the initial organization of the newly formed Exarchate, but he was not appointed apostolic exarch. That question had to be postponed because of the breakout of Balkan Wars (1912-1913) when the Ottoman Empire lost most of its European territory, and the consequent breakout of First World War (1914-1918). The first apostolic exarch, George Calavassy, was appointed only after the war, in 1920.

On June 11, 1932, it lost territory to establish the Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Greece.[4] In 1936, it was renamed as Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul or of Constantinople. On November 25, 1999, Bishop Louis Pelâtre, A.A., Apostolic Vicar of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul,[5] was named apostolic administrator of the exarchate. On April 16, 2016, Fr. Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez, O.F.M, was named administrator of the exarchate, with the retirement of Bishop Pelâtre. He also holds the office of Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul.[6]

Ordinaries[]

(all Byzantine Rite)

  • George Calavassy, Apostolic Exarch of Constantinople (1920.07.13 – 1932.06.11), Titular Bishop of Theodoropolis of the Greeks; later Apostolic Exarch of Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greece) (1932.06.11 – 1957.11.07)[7]
  • Dionisio Leonida Varouhas, Apostolic Exarch of Constantinople (1932.06.11 – death 1957.01.28), Titular Bishop of Gratianopolis;[8]
  • Domenico Caloyera, O.P., as Apostolic Administrator 'sede plena' (1955.05.27 – 1957.01.28), next Apostolic Administrator 'sede vacante' (1957.01.28 – 1976); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Izmir (Turkey) (1978.12.07 – 1983.01.22)[9]
  • , A.A., Apostolic Administrator (November 25, 1999 – 2016), Titular Bishop of Sasima (since 1992.07.09), Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul (Turkey) (1992.07.09 – 2016), President of Episcopal Conference of Turkey (1995–2001), Apostolic Administrator (1996.11.25 – 2016)[10]
  • Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez, O.F.M., Apostolic Administrator (April 16, 2016 – December 22, 2020), titular Bishop of Tubernuca[11]
  • Lorenzo Piretto, O.P., Apostolic Administrator (since December 24, 2020)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Frazee 2006, p. 255.
  2. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (Constantinople)[self-published source]
  3. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Bishop Isaias Papadopoulos[self-published source]
  4. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greek)[self-published source]
  5. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre[self-published source]
  6. ^ "Fr. Rubén Tierrablanca, OFM, Nominated Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul". Ordo Fratrum Minorum. 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  7. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Georges Calavassy[self-published source]
  8. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Denis Leonid Varouhas[self-published source]
  9. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Domenico Caloyera[self-published source]
  10. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre[self-published source]
  11. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez[self-published source]

Sources[]

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°02′13″N 28°58′39″E / 41.0369°N 28.9775°E / 41.0369; 28.9775

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