Classification Catholic Structure Apostolic Exarchate Region Macedonia Branched from Catholic Church | Polity Episcopal Leader Bishop Kiro Stojanov Founder Pope John Paul II Number of members 15,037 | |
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Orientation Eastern Catholic, Byzantine Rite | ||
The Macedonian Byzantine Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite sui juris Eastern Catholic Church in full union with the Roman Catholic Church which uses the Macedonian language in the liturgy.
Contents
The Macedonian Church consists of a single Apostolic Exarchate.
History
An Apostolic Exarch was appointed for Macedonia as early as 1883 until 1922/1924 as part of the Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church. After the end of World War I and the foundation of Yugoslavia, the Exarchate was absorbed into the Eparchy of Križevci.
In January 2001, a separate Byzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Macedonia was formed for Eastern Catholics of the Byzantine Rite in Macedonia. It was fully separated from Eparchy of Križevci and proclaimed as directly subjected only to the Holy See. On the same day (11 January 2001) the Holy See appointed the Latin Bishop of Skopje as the first Apostolic Exarch of Macedonia.
Statistics
As of 2010, the Church's membership was estimated at approximately 15,037 faithful, with one bishop, 7 parishes, 11 priests, and 18 religious sisters.