Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria: Difference between revisions

Patriarchate of the Catholic Church in Egypt

The Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria is the sole metropolitan see of the Coptic Catholic Church, a sui iuris particular church in full communion with the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It follows the Alexandrian Rite in its own Coptic language. Its archbishop is the superior of all Coptic Catholic dioceses, which are located in and around Egypt.

The patriarchate has two cathedrals, both in Egypt: Our Lady of Egypt in the national capital Cairo, and the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Alexandria.

It had three false starts, each failing to prove enduring.

In 1947 it was restored for good. It lost territories in Egypt repeatedly to establish suffragan sees of Alexandria as Metropolitan:

It enjoyed Papal visits from Pope John Paul II in February 2000 and from Pope Francis in April 2017.

The patriarchal see as such ranks third among all Catholic (arch)bishoprics of the world (only after the Apostolic See of Rome and the Catholic Patriarch of Constantinople), by the virtue of Canon Law (CCEO 58, 59.2).

His proper (arch)eparchy is the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Alexandria, which has no other Ordinary than the Patriarch. However, he may appoint an Auxiliary bishop for the eparchy, distinct from Auxiliaries for the Patriarchate, as was the case with:

As of 2014, it served 35,865 Eastern Catholics in 31 parishes with 73 priests (41 diocesan, 32 religious), 209 lay religious (65 brothers, 144 sisters) and 5 seminarians.

It enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope Francis in April 2017.

Coptic Catholic Apostolic Vicars

• Athanasios (1741–1744?)
• Giusto Marsghi (1744?–1748)
• Jakub Římař OFM (1748–1751) (Jacques de Kremsier)
• Paolo d’Angnone (1751–1757)
• Giuseppe de Sassello (1757–1761)
• Roche Abou Kodsi Sabak de Ghirgha (1761–1778); (1781); (1783–1785)
• Gervais d’Ormeal (1778–1781)
• Jean Farargi (1781–1783)
• Bishai Nosser (1785–1787)
• Michelangelo Pacelli de Tricario (1787–1788)
• Mathieu Righet (1788–1822)
• Maximos Jouwed (1822–1831) (also carried the title of Patriarch starting 1824)
• Théodore Abu Karim (1832–1855)
• Athanasios Kyriakos Khouzam (1855–1864)
• Agapios Bishai (1866–1876)
  • Antoun di Marco (1876–1887) (visiting apostolic vicar)
  • Antoun Nabad (1887–1889) (provicar)
  • Simon Barraia (1889–1892) (provicar)
  • Antoun Kabes (1892–1895) (provicar)
• Kyrillos Makarios (1895–1899) (apostolic administrator and Patriarchal vicar, Patriarch starting 1899)

Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria

Patriarchate established in 1824 (by Pope Leo XII)

• Maximos Jouwed/Maximos Givaid – (15 August 1824 – died 30 August 1831), Titular Bishop of Uthina (9 March 1824 – 15 August 1824)
• Vacant (1831–1899)
  1. Apostolic Administrator Théodore Abou-Karim – (22 June 1832 – died 28 September 1855), Titular Bishop of Alia (22 June 1832 – 28 September 1855), no other prelature
  2. Apostolic Administrator Athanase Khouzan – (2 October 1855 – died 17 February 1864), Titular Bishop of Maronia (2 October 1855 – 17 February 1864), no other prelature
  3. Apostolic Administrator Abraham Agabio Bsciai – (27 February 1866 – 1878), Titular Bishop of Cariopolis (27 February 1866 – 20 February 1887), no other prelature
  4. Apostolic Administrator Cyrillus Macaire/Kyrillos Makarios – (18 March 1895 – 19 June 1899 see below), Titular Bishop of Cæsarea Paneas (15 March 1895 – 19 June 1899)
• Kyrillos Makarios/Cyrillus Macaire – (1899–1908) (resigned)
• Vacant (1908–1947)
  1. Apostolic Administrator (Joseph-)Maxime Sedfaoui – (1908 – 13 January 1925)
  2. Apostolic Administrator Marc Khouzam/Markos Khouzam – (30 December 1927 – 10 August 1947 see below)
• Markos II Khouzam – (see above 10 August 1947 – died 2 February 1958)
• Stéphanos I Sidarouss, Lazarists (C.M.) – (10 May 1958 – retired 24 May 1986) (Cardinal in 1965), died 1987
• Stéphanos II Ghattas – (23 June 1986 – retired 30 March 2006) (Cardinal in 2001), died 2009

• Youhanna Golta (1997-2020)
• Antonios Aziz Mina (2002-2006), confirmed Bishop of Guizeh (Coptic)
• Kamal Fahim Awad (Boutros) Hanna (2006-2013), confirmed Bishop of Minya {Ermopoli Maggiore; Minieh} (Coptic)
• Hani Nassif Wasef Bakhoum Kiroulos (2019-)