An Apostolic administration in the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
is administrated by a
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
appointed by the
pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
to serve as the
ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
(a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic administration), or is a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
, eparchy or similar permanent ordinariate (such as a
territorial prelature
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...
or a
territorial abbacy
A territorial abbey (or territorial abbacy) is a particular church of the Catholic Church comprising defined territory which is not part of a diocese but surrounds an abbey or monastery whose abbot or superior functions as ordinary for all Ca ...
) that either has no
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
(an apostolic administrator ''
sede vacante
''Sede vacante'' ( in Latin.) is a term for the state of a diocese while without a bishop. In the canon law of the Catholic Church, the term is used to refer to the vacancy of the bishop's or Pope's authority upon his death or resignation.
Hi ...
'', as after an episcopal death or resignation) or, in very rare cases, has an incapacitated bishop (apostolic administrator ''sede plena'').
Characteristics
Apostolic administrators of stable administrations are equivalent in
canon law
Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...
with
diocesan bishops, meaning they have essentially the same authority as a diocesan bishop. This type of apostolic administrator is usually the bishop of a
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
.
Administrators ''sede vacante'' or ''sede plena'' only serve in their role until a newly chosen diocesan bishop takes possession of the diocese. They are restricted by canon law in what they can do to the diocese they temporarily administer. For example, such an administrator may not sell
real estate
Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...
owned by the diocese. This type of administrator is commonly an
auxiliary bishop of the diocese, a priest serving as the
vicar general
A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...
of the diocese, or the
ordinary of a neighboring diocese.
Normally when a diocese falls vacant, either the previously appointed
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
takes possession of the see or (lacking such successor) a
vicar capitular :''See: Catholic Church hierarchy#Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law''
A diocesan administrator is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic particular church.
Diocesan administrators in canon law
The college of consultors elects an admini ...
/
diocesan administrator :''See: Catholic Church hierarchy#Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law''
A diocesan administrator is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic particular church.
Diocesan administrators in canon law
The college of consultors elects an admini ...
is chosen locally, but the Pope, having full governmental power, can preempt this choice and name an apostolic administrator instead. Sometimes a retiring, promoted or transferred (arch)bishop is designated to be apostolic administrator until his successor is designated and takes office, sometimes the Metropolitan or a fellow suffragan is appointed.
Apostolic administrations
In March 2021, there were the following stable apostolic administrations, most administered by a (titular or external) bishop.
Most are of the Roman rite; most are in former or current
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
countries.
*
Apostolic Administration of Atyrau, in
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
, suffragan of the
Metropolitan Archbishopric of Astana
*
Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus
The Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus ( la, Administratio Apostolica Caucasi Latinorum) is an apostolic administration (pre-diocesan jurisdiction) of the Latin Church in the Catholic Church, established in 1993, with headquarters in Tbilisi, ...
, immediately subject to the Holy See, established in 1991 for two predominantly Orthodox former Soviet Republics:
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
(the cathedral is in its capital
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
) and
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
*
Apostolic Administration of Estonia
The Apostolic Administration of Estonia is a Latin, territorial Catholic ''circonscription'' (ecclesiastical jurisdiction) that covers the entire country of Estonia.
It is an apostolic administration (quasi-diocesan jurisdiction) of the Latin R ...
, one of the
Baltic Countries
The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...
; immediately subject to Rome, established in 1924, with its cathedral in the capital
Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...
*
Apostolic Administration of Harbin
The Apostolic Administration of Harbin (哈爾濱 or 中文) is a pre-diocesan Latin Catholic jurisdiction in Manchuria (northeast China).
It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See (not part of any ecclesiastical province) and its Roman ...
in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, immediately subject to Rome, established in 1935, with a cathedral and a bishop without papal mandate since 2012, recognized from the Holy See in 2018
*
Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan, a mainly Islamic former Soviet Republic in Central Asia; immediately subject to Rome, founded in 1997 as a
mission sui juris
A mission ''sui iuris'', or in Latin ''missio sui iuris'' (plural ''missions sui iuris''); also spelled mission(s) sui juris), also known as an independent mission, is a rare type of Roman Catholic missionary pseudo-diocesan jurisdiction, rankin ...
and promoted in 2006
*
Apostolic Administration of Uzbekistan The Apostolic Administration of Uzbekistan is a Roman Catholic (Latin Church) Apostolic Administration (pre-diocesan jurisdiction; originally an Independent Mission) for the Catholics of Uzbekistan ( West Turkistan, Central Asia).
It is exempt, i.e ...
, predominantly Islamic former Soviet Republic in Central Asia, immediately subject to Rome, founded in 1997 as a mission ''sui juris'' and promoted in 2005.
Some apostolic administrations have jurisdiction not only over Latin Rite Catholics, but also over Catholics of other rites, not having their own jurisdictions there:
*
Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania
The Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania ( sq, Administratura Apostolike e Shqiperisë së Jugut, la, Administratio Apostolica Albaniae Meridionalis, it, Albania Meridionale) is an apostolic administration of the Catholic Church in Alb ...
, with pro-cathedral see at
Vlorë
Vlorë ( , ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothi ...
, established in 1939 for all Catholics in southern regions of
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, both of
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
and
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
rites; since 2005, it is
suffragan
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
of the Metropolitan of
Tirana–Durrës.
Also some apostolic administrations have jurisdiction only over Catholics of the
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, identifies the wide range of cultural, liturgical, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian Church of Constantinople.
Th ...
, that not having their own jurisdictions there:
*
Apostolic Administration of Kazakhstan and Central Asia for Faithful of Byzantine Rite, with a see in
Karaganda
Karaganda or Qaraghandy ( kk, Қарағанды/Qarağandy, ; russian: Караганда, ) is the capital of Karaganda Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, fourth most populous city in Kaza ...
, for
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
,
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the east. ...
,
Tajikistan
Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...
,
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
and
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked cou ...
.
Diocese of Pyongyang
The
Diocese of Pyongyang,
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
: its last official bishop,
Francis Hong Yong-ho
Francis Hong Yong-ho (; born 12 October 1906 – death unknown, but acknowledged in June 2013) was a Roman Catholic prelate in North Korea who was imprisoned by the communist regime of Kim Il-sung in 1949 and later disappeared. After his disapp ...
, was
imprisoned
Imprisonment is the restraint of a person's liberty, for any cause whatsoever, whether by authority of the government, or by a person acting without such authority. In the latter case it is "false imprisonment". Imprisonment does not necessari ...
by the
communist regime
A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Cominte ...
of
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...
in 1949 and later
disappeared
An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organiza ...
. The Metropolitan
Archbishop of Seoul
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seoul (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Metropolitae Seulensis'', ko, 서울대교구) is a Metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church comprising the metropolitan area of Seoul, So ...
(South Korea) acts as the Apostolic Administrator in
Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
, as religion is suppressed in North Korea.
Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
In addition, the
Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
The Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney ( la, Administratio Apostolica Personalis Sancti Ioannis Mariae Vianney) was established on 18 January 2002 by Pope John Paul II for traditionalist Catholic clergy and laity with ...
is a non-territorial jurisdiction, similar to a
personal prelature
Personal prelature is a canonical structure of the Catholic Church which comprises a prelate, clergy and laity who undertake specific pastoral activities. The first personal prelature is Opus Dei. Personal prelatures, similar to dioceses and mi ...
, which is exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, not part of any ecclesiastical province. It is a separate
particular church
In metaphysics, particulars or individuals are usually contrasted with universals. Universals concern features that can be exemplified by various different particulars. Particulars are often seen as concrete, spatiotemporal entities as opposed to a ...
for
traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholicism is the set of beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, Christian liturgy, liturgical forms, Catholic devotions, devotions, and presentations of Catholic Church, Catholic teaching that existed in the Catholic Church befo ...
s within the Brazilian
Diocese of Campos
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Campos ( la, Dioecesis Camposinus) is a diocese located in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes in the Ecclesiastical province of Niterói in Brazil.
History
On December 4, 1922 it was established as the Diocese of Cam ...
, a suffragan of the
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Niterói.
The personal apostolic administration was formed by Pope John Paul II to administer to a group of traditionalist Catholic priests, using the
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or Traditional Rite, is the liturgy of Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that appears in typical editions of the Roman Missal published from 1570 to 1962. Celebrated almo ...
, who reconciled with Rome on January 18, 2002. The group had been formed by bishop
Antônio de Castro Mayer
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...
and had been associated with the
Society of St. Pius X of Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (; 29 November 1905 – 25 March 1991) was a French Catholic archbishop who greatly influenced modern traditional Catholicism. In 1970, he founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a community to train ...
.
Apostolic Administration of São João Maria Vianney
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org''. Accessed 2008-04-10.
Temporary administration of vacant sees
It is fairly typical that the pope appoints an Apostolic Administrator to a diocese which lacks an ordinary (bishop), thus replacing the diocesan administrator :''See: Catholic Church hierarchy#Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law''
A diocesan administrator is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic particular church.
Diocesan administrators in canon law
The college of consultors elects an admini ...
. Usually, the emeritus bishop will be appointed in such a case. Recently (and in exception to the latter), the archdiocese of St. Andrews and Edinburgh had Philip Tartaglia
Filippo "Philip" Tartaglia (11 January 1951 – 13 January 2021) was a Scottish prelate who served as a bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as Metropolitan Archbishop of Glasgow from 2012 until 2021. He previously served as Bishop of Paisl ...
under this procedure.
For example, Luis Antonio Tagle
Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle ( ; ; born June 21, 1957) is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church currently serving as the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization (formerly the Congregation for the Evangeli ...
was appointed as Prefect of Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
* Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...
on 9 December 2019, and he took office in February 2020. Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo
Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo (; born March 11, 1955) is a Filipino prelate who has been the Vicar Apostolic of Taytay in Palawan since 2021. He was appointed by Pope Francis to that post on June 29, 2021, and was installed on August 19 by Socr ...
, the current Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, was appointed as Apostolic Administrator.
Michael Yeung Ming-cheung
Michael Yeung Ming-cheung (; 1 December 1945 – 3 January 2019) was the eighth Roman Catholic bishop of Hong Kong. He was consecrated on 30 August 2014.
Early life
Yeung Ming-cheung was born in Shanghai in 1945. He completed his primary an ...
, the Bishop of Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
died on 3 January 2019. Cardinal John Tong Hon
John Tong Hon (born 31 July 1939) is a Chinese prelate of the Catholic Church. A cardinal since 2012, he was auxiliary bishop of Hong Kong from 1996 to 2008, then coadjutor bishop of the diocese for a year, and Bishop of Hong Kong from 2009 ...
, Bishop Emeritus, was appointed as Apostolic Administrator.
There is also the ability for the Pope to appoint an apostolic administrator sede plena
An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...
. Anthony Sablan Apuron
Anthony Sablan Apuron (born November 1, 1945) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agaña in Guam from 1983 until 2016, when the Holy See removed him as archbishop for child sexual ...
, the Archbishop of Agana was under investigation for sexual abuse in June 2016. Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
appointed Savio Hon Tai-fai
Savio Hon Tai-fai SDB (; born 21 October 1950) is a Roman Catholic archbishop who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He served as secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2010 to 2017. Before that he w ...
as apostolic administrator sede plena
An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...
, as temporary replacement. On 31 October 2016, Michael J. Byrnes
Michael Jude Byrnes (born August 23, 1958) is an American Catholic retired prelate who served as Archbishop of Agaña from 2019 to 2023. He was previously an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Detroit from 2011 to 2016.
Biography
Early ...
, then Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Agana with full administrative authority, and later succeeded as Archbishop.
Former Apostolic administrations
Latin in Europe
* Apostolic Administration of Český Těšín
The Apostolic Administration of Český Těšín was a short-lived (1947–1978) pre-diocesan Latin Catholic jurisdiction in Czechoslovakia.
History
* Established in 1947 as the Apostolic Administration of Český Těšín (named after the Mor ...
(Czech Republic)
* Apostolic Administration of Drohiczyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Drohiczyn ( la, Drohiczinen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Drohiczyn in the Ecclesiastical province of Białystok in Poland.
History
* June 5, 1991: Established as Diocese of Drohiczyn from the Diocese of ...
(Poland; promoted Roman Catholic Diocese of Drohiczyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Drohiczyn ( la, Drohiczinen(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Drohiczyn in the Ecclesiastical province of Białystok in Poland.
History
* June 5, 1991: Established as Diocese of Drohiczyn from the Diocese ...
)
* Apostolic Administration of the Free City of Danzig
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(Free City of Danzig
The Free City of Danzig (german: Freie Stadt Danzig; pl, Wolne Miasto Gdańsk; csb, Wòlny Gard Gduńsk) was a city-state under the protection of the League of Nations between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (now Gda ...
, currently Poland; promoted Diocese of Danzig, later renamed Diocese of Gdańsk and finally promoted Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gdańsk
The Archdiocese of Gdańsk ( la, Gedanen(sis)) is an archdiocese located in the city of Gdańsk in Poland.
According to the church statistics Sunday mass attendance was 38.1% in 2013 making it lower than the Polish average of weekly mass atten ...
)
* Apostolic Administration of Eastern Siberia
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(Russia)
* Apostolic Administration of Eupen–Malmedy–Sankt Vith (Belgium; promoted Diocese of Eupen–Malmedy, later suppressed into Liège diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of European Russia
The Archdiocese of Moscow, also known as Archdiocese of the Mother of God at Moscow ( la, Moscovien(sis) Matris Dei, russian: Архиепархия Матери Божией в Москве) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdioc ...
* Apostolic Administration of Görlitz
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine ...
(Germany; promoted Diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Haarlem (Netherlands; promoted Diocese, renamed Haarlem–Amsterdam)
* Apostolic Administration of Kamień, Lubusz and the Prelature of Piła with see in Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski (; german: Landsberg an der Warthe) often abbreviated to Gorzów Wlkp. or simply Gorzów, is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the second largest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 120,087 inhabitants (Decemb ...
(Poland; dissolved 1972 and split into 3 parts, promoted: Diocese of Gorzów, renamed in 1992 Zielona Góra-Gorzów, Diocese of Szczecin-Kamień, later promoted Archdiocese, and Diocese of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, with small easternmost fragment awarded to Diocese of Chełmno)
* Apostolic Administration of Lubaczów
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(promoted and renamed diocese of Zamość-Lubaczów, Poland)
* Apostolic Administration of Moldova (Moldavia; now diocese of Chisinau)
* Apostolic Administration of Northern European Russia
The Archdiocese of Moscow, also known as Archdiocese of the Mother of God at Moscow ( la, Moscovien(sis) Matris Dei, russian: Архиепархия Матери Божией в Москве) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdioc ...
* Apostolic Administration of Novosibirsk
The Roman Catholic Diocese of the Transfiguration at Novosibirsk ( la, Neosiberian(a) Transfigurationis) is a suffragan Latin diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mother of God at Moscow.
Its cathedral episc ...
(Russia)
* Apostolic Administration of Opole
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Opole ( la, Opoliensis) is a diocese located in the city of Opole in the Ecclesiastical province of Katowice in Poland.
History
* 1945: Established as Apostolic Administration of Opole
* 28 June 1972: Established ...
(Poland; promoted Diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Prizren
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prizren and Prishtina is an ecclesiastical territory or Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Kosovo. It is centred in the city of Prizren. It was erected as an Apostolic Administration in 2000, after being split fr ...
, a former diocese (and later titular bishopric) in Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
(ex-Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
n autonomous province in Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
) (in 1969 absorbed by Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
in the present North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
), restored in 2000, elevated in 2018 as diocese, immediately subject to Rome
* Apostolic administration of Schwerin (partitioned Germany, merged into Hamburg archbishopric)
* Apostolic Administration of Southern European Russia
* Apostolic Administration of Trnava
The Archdiocese of Trnava ( sk, Trnavská arcidiecéza, la, Archidioecesis Tyrnaviensis) is a Latin Catholic archdiocese in western Slovakia including bigger part of the Trnava, and parts of Nitra and Trenčín regions. It has its seat in Trnav ...
(Slovakia; promoted Archdiocese, lost Metropolitan status when restored after merger into Bratislava)
* Apostolic Administration of Tütz
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
* Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...
(then Germany, currently Poland; see moved to Schneidemühl (now Piła), elevated to Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Schneidemühl, later made part of the Apostolic Administration of Kamień, Lubusz and the Prelature of Piła)
* Apostolic Administration of Upper Silesia
The Archdiocese of Katowice ( la, Katovicen(sis)) is the Latin Metropolitan archdiocese of an ecclesiastical province in Western Poland.
Special churches
Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is Archikatedra Chrystusa Króla, dedicated to Christ th ...
(Poland; now Archdiocese of Katowice)
* Apostolic Administration of Western Siberia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of the Transfiguration at Novosibirsk ( la, Neosiberian(a) Transfigurationis) is a suffragan Latin diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mother of God at Moscow.
Its cathedral episc ...
(Russia)
* Apostolic Administration of West Flanders
The Diocese of Bruges (in Dutch Bisdom Brugge) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, which c ...
(Dutch: West-Vlaanderen), province in Belgium; promoted diocese and renamed Bruges (Brugge) after its see)
* Apostolic Administration of Yugoslav Bačka (Serbia; now Diocese of Subotica)
* Apostolic Administration of Yugoslav Banat (Serbia; now Diocese of Zrenjanin)
* Archdiocese of Białystok
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...
(Poland; formerly an Apostolic administration as part of Archdiocese of Vilnius
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Vilnius ( la, Archidioecesis Vilnensis; lt, Vilniaus arkivyskupija) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania. Established as the Diocese of Vilnius in t ...
, Lithuania)
Eastern Catholic in Europe
* Apostolic Administration of Lemkowszczyzna
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(Poland; Ukrainian Catholic, promoted Apostolic Exarchate, suppressed)
* (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Byzantine Rite; suppressed)
* Ruthenian Catholic Apostolic Administration of Targul-Siret (Romania, Byzantine Rite; suppressed)
Latin Overseas
; In Asia
* Apostolic Administration of Almaty (Kazachstan; promoted Diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Astana
The Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mary Most Holy in Astana ( la, Archidioecesis Sanctae Mariae in Astanansis) is a Latin archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.
Its cathedral episcopal see is the Marian Cathedral of Our M ...
(Kazachstan; promoted Archdiocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Kazakhstan
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(promoted Diocese and renamed Karaganda after its see)
* ''Apostolic Administration of Latakia
The Maronite Eparchy of Latakia or Latakia of the Maronites (in Latin: Eparchia Laodicenus Maronitarum) is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Syria. , there were 35,000 members. The current eparch is A ...
(Maronite, Syria; now an Eparchy: Eastern Catholic Diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Okinawa and the Southern Islands, alias Ryukyus (Japan; now Diocese of Naha)
; In America
* Apostolic Administration of Copiapó (Chile; now a diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of El Petén
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
*Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...
(Guatemala; promoted Apostolic Vicariate)
* Apostolic Administration of Izabal
The Apostolic Vicariate of Izabal is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church in eastern Guatemala's Izabal Department. It is exempt directly to the Holy See and not part of any ecclesiastical provinc ...
(Guatemala; now a diocese)
* Apostolic Administration of Rio Branco
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Roraima ( la, Dioecesis Roraimensis) is a diocese located in the state of Roraima in the Ecclesiastical province of Manaus in Brazil.
History
* 1934: Established as Apostolic Administration of Rio Branco
* August 30 ...
(Brazil; promoted Territorial Prelature, renamed and again promoted Diocese of Roraima)
; In Africa
* Apostolic Administration of the Comoros Archipelago
The Apostolic Vicariate of the Comoros Archipelago is a tiny Latin apostolic vicariate (missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction) of the Roman Catholic Church in the Indian Ocean between insular Madagascar and continental Africa, comprising the Comor ...
(Comoros; now Apostolic Vicariate of the Comoros Archipelago)
* Apostolic Administration of Mbuji-Mayi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mbujimayi ( la, Mbugimayen(sis)) is a Latin diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kasai Oriental province.
It is a suffragan in the Ecclesiastical province of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kananga, Kan ...
(now Diocese of Mbujimayi, in Congo)
* Apostolic Administration of Zanzibar and Pemba (now Diocese of Zanzibar, in Tanzania)
See also
{{Portal, Catholicism
* List of Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)
This is a growing list of territorial Catholic dioceses and ordinariates in communion with the Holy See. There are approximately 3,000 actual (i.e., non-titular) dioceses in the Catholic Church (including the eparchies of the Eastern Catholic Ch ...
* List of Catholic dioceses (structured view)
As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, apo ...
* List of Catholic archdioceses
The following is a current list of Catholic archdioceses ordered by continent and country (for the Latin Church) and by liturgical rite (for the Eastern Catholic Churches).
Many smaller countries, as well as large countries with small Catholic po ...
* List of Military Ordinariates and/or Catholic military (arch)bishoprics
* List of Catholic apostolic vicariates
* List of Eastern Catholic (Apostolic, Patriarchal and other) Exarchates
* List of Apostolic Prefectures
* List of Territorial Prelatures
* List of Catholic Missions ''sui juris''
* Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II
The reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II was an issue faced by Pope Pius XII of whether to extend the apostolic authority of Catholic bishops from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to German-occupied Europe during World War II.
Al ...
Notes and references
Sources and external links
GCatholic
Catholic ecclesiastical titles
cs:Apoštolská administratura#Apoštolský administrátor