Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul

Eastern Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Turkey

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

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The Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Constantinople (Exarchatus Apostolicus Constantinopolitanus) is an Apostolic Exarchate (a missionary pre-diocesan structure) of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church which is an Eastern Catholic Church. As a sui iuris (autonomous) Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. In its liturgical services it uses the Byzantine Rite in the Greek language. It is effectively defunct.

The exarchate is exempt, which means that it is directly subject to the Holy See, as the Greek Catholic Church does not have a metropolitan bishop. Its geographic remit includes the entire territory of Turkey. Its cathedral church is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity which is situated in Istanbul. As of 2017, it was the sole parish of the exarchate and had 16 parishioners. The last resident Greek-Catholic priest in Constantinople died in 1997 and has not been replaced. The only regular services in the Church of the Holy Trinity are held by exiled Chaldean of the Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Amida living in the city.[1]

## History[edit]

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.[2]

The Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Constantinople (Istanbul) was founded on June 11, 1911, as the Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of European Turkey.[3] At the same time, on June 28 (1911), Isaias Papadopoulos was appointed titular bishop of Gratianopolis,[4] 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.[5] 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,[6] 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.[7]

## Ordinaries[edit]

* George Calavassy, Apostolic Exarch of Constantinople (July 13, 1920 – June 11, 1932), Titular Bishop of Theodoropolis of the Greeks; later Apostolic Exarch of Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greece) (June 11, 1932 – November 7, 1957)[8]
* Dionisio Leonida Varouhas, Apostolic Exarch of Constantinople (June 11, 1932 – death January 28, 1957), Titular Bishop of Gratianopolis;[9]
* Domenico Caloyera, O.P., as Apostolic Administrator 'sede plena' (May 27, 1955 – January 28, 1957), next Apostolic Administrator 'sede vacante' (January 28, 1957 – 1976); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Izmir (Turkey) (December 7, 1978 – January 22, 1983)[10]
* Louis Pelâtre, A.A., Apostolic Administrator (November 25, 1999 – 2016), Titular Bishop of Sasima (since July 9, 1992), Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul (Turkey) (July 9, 1992 – 2016), President of Episcopal Conference of Turkey (1995–2001), Apostolic Administrator (November 25, 1996 – 2016)[11]
* Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez, O.F.M., Apostolic Administrator (April 16, 2016 – December 22, 2020), titular Bishop of Tubernuca[12]
* Lorenzo Piretto, O.P., Apostolic Administrator (December 24, 2020 - September 13, 2021)
* Massimiliano Palinuro, Apostolic Administrator (September 14, 2021 – present)

## See also[edit]

* Catholic Church in Turkey
* Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul
* Greek Catholic Church of Nazareth

## References[edit]

1. ^ KCBC.co.in \- "Last resident Greek-Catholic priest in Constantinople". Retrieved 15 June 2023
2. ^ Frazee 2006, p. 255.
3. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (Constantinople)[self-published source]
4. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Bishop Isaias Papadopoulos[self-published source]
5. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greek)[self-published source]
6. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre[self-published source]
7. ^ "Fr. Rubén Tierrablanca, OFM, Nominated Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul". Ordo Fratrum Minorum. 2016-04-16. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
8. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Georges Calavassy[self-published source]
9. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Denis Leonid Varouhas[self-published source]
10. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Domenico Caloyera[self-published source]
11. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre[self-published source]
12. ^ Catholic Hierarchy: Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez[self-published source]

## Sources[edit]

* Frazee, Charles A. (2006) [1983]. Catholics and Sultans: The Church and the Ottoman Empire 1453-1923. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521027007.

## External links[edit]

* Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (Constantinople) [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Apostolic Exarchate of Greece (Greek) [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Georges Calavassy [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Denis Leonid Varouhas [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Domenico Caloyera [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Louis Pelâtre [self-published]
* Catholic Hierarchy: Rubén Tierrablanca Gonzalez [self-published]
* Unofficial Home Page of the Society of St. John Chrysostom of Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise, Istanbul

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Greek Byzantine Catholic Church

Greek Catholic Church

Rite|

* Byzantine Rite

Exarchates|

* Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Greece
* Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul

Cathedrals|

* Holy Trinity Cathedral, Athens
* Holy Trinity Greek Catholic Cathedral, Istanbul

Churches|

* Pammakaristos Theotokos Monastery, Athens
* Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church, Giannitsa
* Pammakaristou Theotokou Monastery, Kifissia
* Chapel of the Nativity of Mary, Nea Makri
* Three Bells of Fira, Santorini
* Chapel of the Nativity, Syros

Apostolic Exarchs|

| Greece|

* George Calavassy
* Hyakinthos Gad
* Anargyros Printezis
* Dimitri Salachas
* Manuel Nin

|

Istanbul|

* Isaias Papadopoulos
* George Calavassy
* Dionisio Leonida Varouhas

See also|

* Catholic Church in Greece
* Catholic Church in Turkey
* Eastern Catholic Churches

* Catholicism portal

* v
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Catholic Church in Turkey

Episcopal Conference of Turkey

Active
dioceses|

* Latin: Archdiocese of Izmir
* Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia
* Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul
* Armenian: Archeparchy of Istanbul
* Chaldean: Archeparchy of Diarbekir
* Byzantine: Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul (Melkite Church)
* Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul (Greek Church)
* Syriac: Patriarchal Exarchate of Turkey

Cathedrals|

* Latin: St. John's Cathedral, Izmir
* Cathedral of the Annunciation, İskenderun
* Co-Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua, Mersin
* Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Istanbul
* Armenian: St. Mary of Sakızağaç Cathedral, Istanbul
* Greek Byzantine: Holy Trinity Greek Catholic Cathedral, Istanbul
* Chaldean: St. Mary's Cathedral, Diyarbakır

Churches|

* Latin: St. Anthony of Padua Basilica, Istanbul
* Saint Paul Church, Adana
* St. Térèse Church, Ankara
* Church of Saint Benoit, Istanbul
* Church of St. Mary Draperis, Istanbul
* Church of SS Peter and Paul, Istanbul
* Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Bornova
* Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Konak
* Saint Polycarp Church, Izmir
* St. Helena Church, Karşıyaka
* House of the Virgin Mary
* Armenian: Surp Yerrortutyun Armenian Catholic Church
* Surp Yerrortutyun Armenian Church

Relations|

* Apostolic Nunciature to Turkey
* Holy See–Turkey relations

Popes from Anatolia|

* Pope John VI
* Pope Conon

See also|

* Polonezköy
* Pangaltı Catholic Cemetery
* Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople
* Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Thrace

* Catholicism portal
* Turkey portal

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