Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)

Eparchia Sancti Ioannis XXIII Sophiae

Bishop(s)

Petko Valov, Bishop
Christo Proykov, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Eparchy
Elevated: 11 October 2019
Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
Bulgarian Catholic Church of the Byzantine Tradition
Country: Bulgaria
Official Web Site: http://www.kae-bg.org/
Mailing Address: ul. Liulin Planina 5, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria
Telephone: (02)953.04.06

Historical Details

Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian)
- Latin Name: Sophiae
- Erected: 1926
- Country: Bulgaria

Past and Present Ordinaries

Kiril Stefan (Nikola) Kurtev † (31 Jul 1926 Appointed - 30 May 1941 Resigned)
Ivan Dimitrov Garufalov, C. R. † (6 Jul 1942 Appointed - 7 Aug 1951 Died)
Kiril Stefan (Nikola) Kurtev † (27 Apr 1951 Appointed - 9 Mar 1971 Died)
Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A. † (9 Mar 1971 Succeeded - 5 Sep 1995 Retired)
Christo Proykov (5 Sep 1995 Succeeded - 8 Apr 2024 Retired)
Petko Valov (8 Apr 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian)
1926	Erected	Diocese of Bulgarian United Church (Constantinople) (Bulgarian) (suppressed) Vicariate Apostolic of Macedonia (Thessalonika) (Bulgarian) (suppressed) Vicariate Apostolic of Tracia (Hadrianopolis) (Bulgarian) (suppressed)	Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian) (erected)
Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)
11 October 2019	Elevated	Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian)	Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian)

1969 8,500,000 .0% 8 8 0 21 20 ap1981

1988 15,000 12 8 20 750 16 40 18 ap1991

1999 15,000 6 10 16 937 10 39 20 ap2000

2000 15,000 5 10 15 1,000 10 40 20 ap2001

2001 15,000 5 12 17 882 14 40 20 ap2002

2002 15,000 5 13 18 833 15 40 10 ap2003

2003 10,000 5 14 19 526 14 40 10 ap2004

2004 10,000 6 15 21 476 15 40 21 ap2005

2009 10,000 5 16 21 476 20 38 21 ap2010

2013 10,000 4 16 20 500 18 37 13 ap2014

2016 10,000 4 13 17 588 15 27 16 ap0217

Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)

2019 10,000 3 13 16 625 14 25 16 ap2020

2020 10,000 3 14 17 588 15 25 17 ap2021

2022 10,000 5 13 18 555 14 22 18 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia (Bulgarian)
1969		8,500,000	.0%	8		8	0		21	20	ap1981
1988	15,000			12	8	20	750	16	40	18	ap1991
1999	15,000			6	10	16	937	10	39	20	ap2000
2000	15,000			5	10	15	1,000	10	40	20	ap2001
2001	15,000			5	12	17	882	14	40	20	ap2002
2002	15,000			5	13	18	833	15	40	10	ap2003
2003	10,000			5	14	19	526	14	40	10	ap2004
2004	10,000			6	15	21	476	15	40	21	ap2005
2009	10,000			5	16	21	476	20	38	21	ap2010
2013	10,000			4	16	20	500	18	37	13	ap2014
2016	10,000			4	13	17	588	15	27	16	ap0217
Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)
2019	10,000			3	13	16	625	14	25	16	ap2020
2020	10,000			3	14	17	588	15	25	17	ap2021
2022	10,000			5	13	18	555	14	22	18	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Christo Proykov (Priest: 23 May 1971; Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: 18 Dec 1993; Apostolic Exarch: 5 Sep 1995; Bishop: 11 Oct 2019 to 8 Apr 2024)
Petko Valov (Priest: 11 Oct 1997; Bishop: 8 Apr 2024 - )

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Ivan Dimitrov Garufalov, C. R. † (Apostolic Exarch: 6 Jul 1942 to 7 Aug 1951)
Kiril Stefan (Nikola) Kurtev † (Apostolic Exarch: 31 Jul 1926 to 30 May 1941)
Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A. † (Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: 28 Apr 1963; Apostolic Exarch: 9 Mar 1971 to 5 Sep 1995)

Source(s)

Eparchy of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian)
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 111, Page 1,688, and Page 1,689

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠