The Catholic Church in Turkey is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and the canonical leadership of the curia in Rome that is submitted to the Pope.
Demographics
editIn the 2000s, there are around 25,000 Roman Catholics,[1] constituting 0.05% of the population. The faithful follow the Latin, Byzantine, Armenian and Chaldean Rites. Most Latin Church Catholics are Levantines of mainly Italian or French background, with a few are ethnic Turks, who are usually either converts via marriage to Levantines or other non-Turkish Catholics, or are returnees from Europe who converted there, and who may often be still registered as Muslim by the government. Byzantine, Armenian, and Chaldean rite Catholics are generally members of the Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian minority groups respectively. Turkey's Catholics are concentrated in Istanbul.
By 2020, there were approximately 70 priests and 50 nuns serving in 52 parishes;[2] the church also ran 6 hospitals and homes for the old and infirm.
Persecution
editThe Catholic Christian community was shocked when Father Andrea Santoro, an Italian missionary working in Turkey for 10 years, was shot twice in February 2006 at his church near the Black Sea.[4] He had written a letter to the Pope asking him to visit Turkey.[5] Pope Benedict XVI visited Turkey in November 2006.[6] Relations had been rocky since Pope Benedict XVI had stated his opposition to Turkey joining the European Union.[7] Turkey's Council of Catholic Bishops met with the Turkish prime minister in 2004 to discuss restrictions and difficulties such as property issues.[8] On June 6, 2010, Bishop Luigi Padovese, the Vicar Apostolic of Turkey, was killed.
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Organization
edit
- Latin Church:
- Archdiocese of İzmir
- seat in İzmir
- Cathedral: St. John's Cathedral (İzmir)[9]
- Jurisdiction: archdiocese without suffragan dioceses
- Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia
- seat in Iskenderun
- Cathedral: Cathedral of the Annunciation, Iskenderun
- Co-Cathedral: St. Anthony of Padua Co-Cathedral, Mersin
- Jurisdiction: Immediately Subject to the Holy See
- Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul[10]
- seat in Istanbul
- Cathedral: Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Istanbul, Basilica minor
- Basilica minor: St. Anthony of Padua Basilica, Istanbul
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to the Holy See
- Archdiocese of İzmir
- Armenian Catholic Church:
- Archeparchy of Istanbul
- seat in Istanbul
- Cathedral: Holy Mother of God Armenian Cathedral Church, Istanbul
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to the Holy See
- Archeparchy of Istanbul
- Chaldean Catholic Church:
- Archdiocese of Diyarbakır
- seat in Beyoğlu, Istanbul
- Cathedral: St. Mary's Cathedral, Diyarbakır
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Babylon
- Archdiocese of Diyarbakır
- Greek Byzantine Catholic Church:
- Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul
- seat in Istanbul
- Cathedral: Holy Trinity Greek Catholic Cathedral, Istanbul (Ayatriada Rum Katoliki Kilise)[11]
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to the Holy See
- Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul
- Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul[12]
- seat in Istanbul
- Church: Melkite Catholic Church Saint Pantaleon (historical)[13]
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to Melkite Patriarch[14]
- Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul[12]
- Syriac Catholic Church:
- Exarchate of Turkey
- seat in Istanbul
- Cathedral:
- Jurisdiction: Immediately subject to the Syriac Catholic Church
- Exarchate of Turkey
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ US State Dept 2022 report
- ^ Catholics and Culture website, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ Catholic News Agency website, article dated July 17, 2021
- ^ "Priest's killing shocks Christians in Turkey". Catholic World News. February 6, 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ "Priest Slain in Turkey Had Sought Pope Visit". The New York Times. Reuters. February 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ "Confirmed: Pope to visit Turkey in November". Catholic World News. February 9, 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ Donovan, Jeffrey (April 20, 2005). "World: New Pope Seen As Maintaining Roman Catholic Doctrinal Continuity". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ "Turkey". International Religious Freedom Report 2004. September 15, 2004. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ GCatholic.org
- ^ katolik kilisesi
- ^ Rumkatkilise.org/
- ^ Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul (French)
- ^ Melkite Catholic Church Saint Pantaleon (French)
- ^ Apostolic Letter "Orientalium Dignitas" on the preservation and protection of Oriental disciplines, Pope Leo XIII, 1894 (Latin)
External links
edit- The Catholic Church in Turkey by GCatholic.org