The Catholic Church in Syria is part of the worldwide
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 ...
, under the spiritual leadership of 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 ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
.
There are 368,000 Catholics in Syria (and its refugee diaspora), approximately 2% of the total population. The Catholics of Syria are members of several different Rite/language-specific Churches, including
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
,
Chaldean,
Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
,
Maronite
The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...
and
Melkite
The term Melkite (), also written Melchite, refers to various Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian churches of the Byzantine Rite and their members originating in the Middle East. The term comes from the common Central Semitic Semitic root, ro ...
in addition to the
Latin Church
, native_name_lang = la
, image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran
, caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...
, and there are separate but overlapping jurisdictions for the faithful of each Church.
All these bishops are members of the 'national' Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in Syria and of the (vast) regional Episcopal Conference for Arab countries. The Eastern Catholic bishops also belong to the (international) synod of their patriarchate or other specific church.
Dioceses and Archdioceses
;Eastern Catholic particular Churches
:
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 ...
*
Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch
The Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch is the only actual residential Patriarchate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Eastern Catholic, Byzantine Rite). It was formed in 1724 when a portion of the Orthodox Church of Antioch went into com ...
(in Damascus)
* Metropolitan
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo (Latin: Archidioecesis Aleppensis o Beroeensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is an archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church located in Syria, based in Aleppo. Its current archeparch is Jean-Clément Je ...
* Metropolitan
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Bosra and Hauran
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Bosra and Hauran (in Latin: Archeparchy Bostrena et Auranensis) is an archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church with its territory located in Syria. It is currently governed by Archeparch Nicolas Antib ...
* Metropolitan
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus of the Melkites (in Latin: Archeparchy Damascena Graecorum Melkitarum) is a metropolitan and patriarchal see. In 2010 there were 150,000 baptized. The current vicar of Patriarch Youssef Absi is Archbis ...
* Metropolitan
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs
*
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Latakia
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Latakia (in Latin: Archeparchy Laodicena Graecorum Melkitarum) is an eparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church immediately subject to the Holy See. In 2009 there were 14,500 baptized. It is currently govern ...
:
Antiochian Rite
Antiochene Rite or Antiochian Rite refers to the family of liturgies originally used by the Patriarchate of Antioch.
Liturgies in the Antiochene Rite
The Antiochian Rite, or the Antiochian Rite family, consists of Apostolic Liturgies including ...
s
::''Maronites (no Metropolitan)''
*
Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo
Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo of the Maronites (in Latin: Archeparchy Aleppensis Maronitarum) is a seat of the Maronite Church. In 2012 there were 4,000 members. It is currently governed by Maronite archeparch Joseph Tobji.
Territory an ...
*
Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus
Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus ( la, Archeparchy Maronitarum Damascena) is an archeparchy of the Maronite Church. In 2013 there were 20,300 members. It is currently governed by Archbishop Samir Nassar.
Territory and statistics
The arch ...
*
Maronite Catholic Eparchy 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 ...
(Lattaquié)
::''Syriac (Syrian) Catholic''
* Metropolitan
Syrian Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus
The Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus is a Syriac Catholic Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Syria. While a metropolitan see, the Archeparchy of Damascus is without suffragans and is exempt directly to ...
* Metropolitan
Syrian Catholic Archdiocese of Homs
Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...
*
Syrian Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo
The Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo (informally Aleppo of the Syrians) is a Syriac Catholic Church ecclesiastical territory or archeparchy of the Catholic Church in Syria. The Archeparchy of Aleppo is not a metropolitan see and is exemption ...
*
Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Hassaké-Nisibi
The Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Al Hasakah-Nisibi(s) or of Al Hasakeh-Nisibi(s) (in French Hassaké–Nisibi) (informally Al-Hasakah–Nisibi(s) of the Syriacs) is a non-metropolitan archeparchy (Eastern Catholic archdiocese) of the Syriac Cath ...
:
Armenian Rite
The Armenian Rite () is an independent liturgy used by both the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches.
Liturgy
The liturgy is patterned after the directives of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, first official head and patron saint ...
(no Metropolitan)
*
Armenian Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo
The Armenian Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo (or Halab or Beroea) (informally Aleppo if the Armenians) is a non-Metropolitan Archeparchy (Eastern Catholic Archdiocese) of the Armenian Catholic Church ''sui iuris'' (Armenian Rite in Armenian langua ...
*
Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Kamichlié
*
Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Damascus
The Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Damascus is a pre-diocesan missionary jurisdiction of the Armenian Catholic Church ''sui iuris'' (Eastern Catholic, Armenian Rite in Armenian language) in part of Syria.
It depends directly on the A ...
:
Syro-Oriental Rite
The East Syriac Rite or East Syrian Rite, also called the Edessan Rite, Assyrian Rite, Persian Rite, Chaldean Rite, Nestorian Rite, Babylonian Rite or Syro-Oriental Rite, is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that employs the Divine Liturgy ...
(no Archeparchy)
*
Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Aleppo
The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Aleppo (also Halab in Arabic, or Beroa as in Antiquity) is the only eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Chaldean Catholic Church (which uses the Syro-Oriental Rite, in Syriac or Aramaic languages) in Syria.
...
;
Latin Church
, native_name_lang = la
, image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran
, caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...
*
Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppo
The Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppo (in Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Aleppensis) is an apostolic vicariate (Latin pre-diocesan missionary jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, entitled to a titular bishop) and is immediately subject to the ...
(exempt Roman Catholic missionary jurisdiction)
Cathedrals
* Cathedral of Our Lady of Dormition (Greek-Melkite Catholic Archdiocese of Bosra–Haūrān)
* Cathedral of Our Lady of Latakia (Maronite Catholic Diocese of Lattaquié)
* Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation (Greek-Melkite Catholic Archdiocese of Lattaquié)
* Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Syrian Catholic Archdiocese of Aleppe)
* Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi (Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppe)
* Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (Syrian Catholic Archdiocese of Homs)
* Cathedral Our Lady of Reliefs (Armenian Catholic Archdiocese of Aleppe)
* Church of the Queen of the Universe (Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Damas)
* Greek-Melkite Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace (Greek-Melkite Catholic Archdiocese of Homs)
* Greek-Melkite Cathedral of the Virgin Mary (Greek-Melkite Catholic Archdiocese of Aleppe)
* Greek-Melkite Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of Our Lady (Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarchal See of Antioch)
* Maronite Cathedral (Maronite Catholic Archdiocese of Damas)
* St. Elias Maronite Cathedral (Maronite Catholic Archdiocese of Aleppe)
* St. Joseph’s Cathedral (Chaldean Catholic Diocese of Aleppe)
* Syrian Cathedral (Syrian Catholic Archdiocese of Damas)
Syrian popes
Seven popes from Syria ascended the papal throne, many of them lived in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, Pope
Gregory III,
was previously the last pope to have been born outside Europe until the election of
Francis
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Francis (surname)
Places
* Rural M ...
in 2013.
See also
*
Syriac Catholic Church
The Syriac Catholic Church ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝܬܐ, ʿĪṯo Suryayṯo Qaṯolīqayṯo, ar, الكنيسة السريانية الكاثوليكية) is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic Christianity ...
*
Eastern Catholic Churches
The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...
*
List of Syrian popes
*
List of Saints from Asia
References
GCatholic.org
External links
{{Improve categories, date=February 2020