Diocese of Saint John XXIII of Sofia, Bulgaria (Bulgarian Rite)

Rite: Bulgarian (Byzantine)

Name: Saint John XXIII of Sofia (English) / Hl. Johannes XXIII. in Sofia (Deutsch) / San Juan XXIII de Sofía (español) / San Giovanni XXIII di Sofia (Italiano) / św. Jana XXIII w Sofii (polski) / Sanctus Ioannes XXIII Sophiæ pro fidelibus ritus byzantini slavorum (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sofia (София), Sofia

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Strumica–Skopje (↙), Saint Nicholas of Ruski Krstur (↖), Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (↑), Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti (↗), Istanbul (↘), Greece (↓)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.10.11 – ...):

Bishop Christo Proykov (76)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria

Ordinaries

Bishops of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian Rite)

Bishop Christo Proykov (76)
(2019.10.11 – ...)

Bishop of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria)
President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria

Born:	1946.03.11 (Sofia, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1971.05.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.01.06

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1993.12.18 – 1995.09.05)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1993.12.18 – 2019.10.11)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (1995 – ...)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1995.09.05 – 2019.10.11)

Bishop of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (2019.10.11 – ...)

Apostolic Exarchs of Sofia (Bulgarian Rite)

Bishop Christo Proykov (76)
(1995.09.05 – 2019.10.11)

(see above)

Archbishop Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A.
(1971.03.09 – 1995.09.05)

Born:	1916.01.11 (Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1942.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.09.05
Died:	2006.05.12 († 90)

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1963.04.28 – 1971.03.09)

Titular Bishop of Diocletianoplis in Thracia (1963.04.28 – 1993.12.18)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (1970 – 1995)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1971.03.09 – 1995.09.05)

Titular Archbishop of Diocletianoplis in Thracia (1993.12.18 – 2006.05.12)

Bishop Kyril Stefan Kurteff
(1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Born:	1891.07.18
Ordained Priest:	1914.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.12.05
Died:	1971.03.09 († 79)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1926.07.31 – 1971.03.09)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Bishop Ivan Garufaloff, C.R.
(1942.07.06 – 1951.08.07)

Born:	1887.08.28
Ordained Priest:	1912.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1942.11.01
Died:	1951.08.07 († 63)

Titular Bishop of Lagania (1942.07.06 – 1951.08.07)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1942.07.06 – 1951.08.07)

Bishop Kyril Stefan Kurteff
(1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Born:	1891.07.18
Ordained Priest:	1914.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.12.05
Died:	1971.03.09 († 79)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1926.07.31 – 1971.03.09)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: Bishop Christo Proykov (76) (1993.12.18 – 1995.09.05)
Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: Bishop Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A. (later Archbishop) (1963.04.28 – 1971.03.09)

Contact Info

Website:

Statistics

Population: 10,000 Catholics (2020)

Statistics: 17 parishes, 17 priests (3 diocesan, 14 religious), 38 lay religious (15 brothers, 23 sisters) (2020)

History

1926: Established as Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia / София (български език) / Sophiæ (Latin) (from the suppressed Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople, Apostolic Vicariate of Macedonia and Apostolic Vicariate of Tracia)
2019.10.11: Promoted as Diocese of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (English) / Hl. Johannes XXIII. in Sofia (Deutsch) / San Juan XXIII de Sofía (español) / San Giovanni XXIII di Sofia (Italiano) / św. Jana XXIII w Sofii (polski) / Sanctus Ioannes XXIII Sophiæ pro fidelibus ritus byzantini slavorum (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)

Bulgarian Diocese of

Saint John XXIII of Sofia