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Ordinariate for Eastern Catholics in Europa Orientale

Europae Orientalis

Armenian-rite ordinariate established by Pope John Paul II on 13 July 1991 for Armenian Catholics in Eastern Europe, principally the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. Its cathedral see is the Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs in Gyumri, Armenia. Archbishop Kevork Noradounguian has served as ordinary since 21 August 2024.

The see

Rank
Eastern ordinariate immediately subject to the Holy See
Tradition
Armenian Catholic Church
Erected
13 July 1991
Latin
Europae Orientalis
Annuario code
001000319

The see in figures

Catholics
618,000
Priests
18
Catholics per priest
34,333

Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.

The bishop

Archbishop
Kevork Noradounguian
Born
16 November 1968
Birthplace
Alep

A see whose chair stands empty is recorded as vacant rather than filled with a guess. On what a bishop is, see the bishop.

The cathedral

Cathedral of the Holy Martyrs, Gyumri stands in Europa Orientale, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.

On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.

History

For faithful of the Armenian Catholic Church (Eastern Catholic, Armenian Rite in Armenian language) living in certain Eastern European ex-Soviet countries that lack a proper Ordinary for their particular church sui iuris, the Church maintains the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate of Eastern Europe, an Ordinariate (quasi-diocese). It is exempt, belonging to no ecclesiastical province and answering immediately to the Holy See, notably the Roman Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

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Sources

The see's own website · Wikipedia

Compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. Corrections: hello@catholicintelligence.com.