Catholic Intelligence

Apostolic Vicariate of Thessaloniki

Thessalonicen(sis)

The Apostolic Vicariate of Thessaloniki is a Latin rite apostolic vicariate in northern Greece, established on 18 March 1926 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Salonica and renamed in 1992. It is immediately subject to the Holy See and dependent on the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. The vicariate has been vacant under apostolic administrators since its only proper vicar apostolic was promoted to Naxos in 1929; it is currently administered by Archbishop Georgios Altouvas of Corfu.

The see

Rank
Apostolic vicariate
Tradition
Latin Church
Erected
18 March 1926
Latin
Thessalonicen(sis)
Patron
Saint Paul apôtre
Annuario code
001000462

The see in figures

Catholics
8,100
Population
3,574,000
Catholic share
0.2%

of the people living within its bounds

Priests
5
Catholics per priest
1,620
Extent
57,550 km²
Catholics per km²
0.1

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

Bishop
Georgios Altouvas
Born
28 September 1973
Birthplace
Athina

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

Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Thessaloniki stands in Thessaloniki, 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

In northern continental Greece, the Apostolic Vicariate of Thessaloniki (Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Thessalonicensis) is a Latin Church territory of the Catholic Church, exempt to the Holy See and attached to no ecclesiastical province. It has had only one proper apostolic vicar, Alessandro Guidati, and since his promotion to Archbishop of Naxos, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos in 1929 the see has remained vacant, governed by apostolic administrators. The vicariate's cathedra is found in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Thessaloniki.

What is kept by invitation

The record above is published because it is public: what this see is, when it was erected, who holds its chair, and where it stands among its neighbours.

The working record is not. The chancery's address, telephone and email, the clergy of the see, and the hours of Mass, confession and adoration in the parishes within it are kept for members, and a person reads every request.

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Sources

The see's own website · Wikipedia

This record is compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. On the method, see the keeping of the record. Whoever finds an error is asked, in charity, to write: [email protected].