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Melkite Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan

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Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan
Location
Country Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan
Ecclesiastical province Patriarchate of Antioch
Statistics
Parishes 14
Information
Denomination Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Rite Byzantine
Established 1835
Cathedral Resurrection cathedral, Cairo
Co-cathedral Dormition cathedral, Alexandria
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Patriarch Youssef Absi
Patriarchal Vicar Jean-Marie Chami
Bishops emeritus Georges Bakar

The Melkite Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan is the presence of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Northern African countries of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan.[1]

Status

As a territory dependent on the patriarch it is a missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction with an ordinary, so it is immediately subject to the Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch in his capacity as Melkite Catholic Titular Patriarch of Alexandria, and is not part of his or any other ecclesiastical province.[2]

As the titular patriarch of Alexandria, the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch appoints the patriarchal vicar to act on his behalf.[3] The patriarchal vicar currently has the title of protosyncellus of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan and is made a titular archbishop, and an auxiliary bishop of Antioch.[4]

Territory and statistics

It supports the Melkite communities in Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan. The number of the faithful, who in 1940 was around 35,000 people, is much diminished. As per 2014, it pastorally served 6,200 Melkite Catholics in 14 parishes with 18 priests (diocesan), 2 deacons and 15 lay religious sisters.[5]

It has two cathedrals, both in Egypt:

  • the Resurrection cathedral in Cairo, its episcopal see.
  • the Dormition cathedral in Alexandria, the Ancient see of the (here Titular) Patriarch.

History

In 1772, as remembered by the Orientalium Dignitas of Pope Leo XIII, the Patriarch of Antioch became "Administrator of Alexandria" for the Melkites in Egypt. In 1838, the Melkite Patriarch assumed the title of Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem (being titular Patriarch of both latter sees). In 1835, the Melkite Church in Egypt and Sudan was called the Patriarchal Vicariate of Egypt and Sudan. In 1992, it was raised to become the Patriarchal Exarchate of Egypt and Sudan. In 1997, it became the Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt and Sudan. In 2012, after the independence of South Sudan, it was renamed the Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan.[2]

Patriarchal Vicars of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Melkite Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan is a patriarchal exarchate of the Catholic Church.[7]

References

  1. Back to citation "Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan (Melkite Greek Patriarchal Dependent Territory) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  2. Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan (Melkite Greek) from Catholic-Hierarchy.org, retrieved 28 March 2021
  3. Back to citation Greek-Melkite Titular Patriarchal See of Alexandria from GCatholic.org, retrieved 28 march 2021
  4. Back to citation Patriarchal Exarchate of Alexandria from Catholic-Hierarchy.org, retrieved 28 March 2021
  5. Back to citation "كنيسة الروم". الكنيسة الكاثوليكية بمصر (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  6. Back to citation Greek-Melkite Territory Dependent on the Patriarch of Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan from GCatholic.org, retrieved 28 March 2021
  7. Back to citation Wikidata item Q1079669

30°05′06″N 31°14′46″E / 30.0850°N 31.2462°E

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