Greek Catholic Apostolic 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 Greek language.

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

It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See, not part of any ecclesiastical province (which don't exist in the Greek Catholic Church, as it lacks 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 2013, it was the sole parish of the exarchate and has 20 parishioners.

History

The first steps toward creating a particular jurisdiction for Greek Catholics of the Byzantine Rite in the European part of Ottoman Empire were made in 1907, when Greek Catholic priest Isaias Papadopoulos was made vicar general for the Greek Catholics within the jurisdiction of 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 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, Dominican Order (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]
  • Louis Pelâtre, Assumptionists (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, Apostolic Administrator (since April 16, 2016), titular Bishop of Tubernuca[11]
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See also

Other Eastern liturgical rites:

References
  1. Frazee 2006, p. 255.
  2. Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (Constantinople)
  3. Catholic Hierarchy: Bishop Isaias Papadopoulos
  4. Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greek)
  5. Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre
  6. Fr. Rubén Tierrablanca, OFM, Nominated Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul
  7. Catholic Hierarchy: Georges Calavassy
  8. Catholic Hierarchy: Denis Leonid Varouhas
  9. Catholic Hierarchy: Domenico Caloyera
  10. Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre
  11. Catholic Hierarchy: Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez

Sources
  • Frazee, Charles A. (2006) [1983]. Catholics and Sultans: The Church and the Ottoman Empire 1453-1923. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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