Catholic Church in Slovenia


Catholic Church in Slovenia
Slovene: Katoliška cerkev na Slovenskem
Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Ljubljana
TypeNational polity
ClassificationCatholic
OrientationLatin
ScriptureBible
TheologyCatholic theology
PolityEpiscopal
GovernanceSBC
PopeLeo XIV
President of SBCAndrej Saje, Bishop of Novo mesto
Archbishop of LjubljanaStanislav Zore
Archbishop of MariborAlojzij Cvikl
MetropolisesLjubljana, Maribor
DiocesesLjubljana, Maribor, Celje, Koper, Novo mesto, Murska Sobota
RegionSlovenia
LanguageSlovenian, Latin
LiturgyRoman Rite
HeadquartersLjubljana
TerritorySlovenia
Members1,517,274 (2021)

The Slovenian Catholic Church, or Catholic Church in Slovenia (Slovene: Katoliška cerkev v Sloveniji) is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The 2018 Eurobarometer data shows 73.4% of Slovenian population identifying as Catholic[1] that fell to 72.1% in the 2019 Eurobarometer survey.[2] According to the Catholic Church data, the Catholic population fell from 78.04% in 2009 to 72.11% in 2019.[3]

There are total of 1,509,986 (72.11%) Catholics in Slovenia in 2019 by official statistics published by Catholic Church of Slovenia.[4] The country is divided into six dioceses, including two archdioceses. The diocese of Maribor was elevated to an archdiocese by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. Additionally, the pope created three new sees, namely Novo Mesto, Celje and Murska Sobota.

Slovenian Catholic Church is governed by the Slovenian Bishops' Conference. Informally archbishop of Ljubljana is considered Primate of Slovenia.

Slovenian Catholic Church and Slovenian priests operate in Slovenian churches worldwide, most notably in Slovenian Church of St. Cyril in New York.[5][6]

Archbishop Luigi Bianco, Titular of Falerone, is the Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia[7] and the Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo.

Cardinal Franc Rode CM, is the only cardinal of the Catholic Church in Slovenia. Another cardinal of Slovenin descent is Vicente Bokalic Iglic CM of Argentina.

Timeline

Catholics by years[8]

Year Catholics Population
2009 1,577,014 78.04%  
2010 1,569,119 77.30%  
2011 1,557,276 76.85%  
2012 1,554,355 81.40%  
2013 1,543,114 80.06%  
2014 1,523,040 74.52%  
2015 1,535,297 75.68%  
2016 1,523,113 75.32%  
2017 1,511,980 73.15%  
2018 1,513,756 72.74%  
2019 1,509,986 72.11%  
2021 1,517,274

Territorial organization

Ecclesiastical structure

Catholic Church in Slovenia is organized in two ecclesiastical provinces (metropolises; cerkvene pokrajine - metropolije):

  • Metropolis of Ljubljana (Ljubljanska metropolija), and
  • Metropolis of Maribor (Mariborska metropolija).[9]

Each metropolis is divided into three dioceses of which one is metropolitan archdiocese and two are suffragan dioceses.[9]

Metropolis of Ljubljana

Metropolis of Ljubljana is presided over by Metropolitan Archbishop of Ljubljana, currently Stanislav Zore OFM.[10]

It is divided into three dioceses:

Diocese[10] Bishop Cathedral Population Catholics Decanates Parishes
Ljubljana Stanislav Zore OFM Cathedral of Saint Nicholas 763.765 554.950 17 232
Koper Peter Štumpf SDB, PhD Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 258.380 202.900 11 189
Novo mesto Andrej Saje, PhD Cathedral of Saint Nicholas 159.600 137.500 6 71

Archdiocese of Ljubljana is divided into 4 archdeaconries and 17 deaneries (decanates):[10]

  • Archdeaconry I: Ljubljana – Center, Ljubljana – Moste, Ljubljana – Šentvid, Ljubljana – Vič/Rakovnik;
  • Archdeaconry II: Kranj, Radovljica, Šenčur, Škofja Loka, Tržič;
  • III. Archdeaconry III: Domžale, Kamnik, Litija, Zagorje; and
  • Archdeaconry IV: Cerknica, Grosuplje, Ribnica, Vrhnika.

Decanates of Diocese of Koepr are Dekani, Idrija – Cerkno, Ilirska Bistrica, Kobarid, Koper, Kraška dekanija, Nova Gorica, Postojna, Šempeter, Tolmin, Vipavska dekanija.[10]

Decanates of Diocese of Novo mesto are Črnomelj, Kočevje, Leskovec, Novo mesto, Trebnje, Žužemberk.[10]

Metropolis of Maribor

Metropolis of Maribor is presided over by Metropolitan Archbishop of Maribor, currently Alojzij Cvikl SJ.

It is divided into three dioceses:

Diocese[11] Bishop Cathedral Population Catholics Decanates Parishes
Maribor Alojzij Cvikl SJ Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist 419.055 355.654 12 143
Celje Maksimilijan Matjaž, ThD Cathedral of Saint Daniel 289.846 237.370 11 112
Murska Sobota Cathedral of Saint Nicholas 120.146 95.463 3 36

Archdiocese of Maribor is divided into 5 archdeaconries and 12 decanates:[11]

  • "Bistriško-konjiški" Archdeaconry: Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice,
  • "Mariborski" Archdeaconry: Maribor, Dravosko polje,
  • "Ptujsko–ormoški" Archdeaconry: Ptuj, Velika Nedelja, Zavrč,
  • "Slovenjegoriški" Archdeaconry: Jarenina, Lenart v Slovenskih goricah,
  • "Koroški" Archdeaconry: Dravograd – Mežiška dolina, Radlje – Vuzenica, Stari trg.

Decanates of Diocese of Celje are Celje, Nova Cerkev, Žalec, Kozje, Rogatec, Šmarje pri Jelšah, Braslovče, Gornji Grad, Šaleška dolina, Laško, Videm ob Savi.[11]

Decanates of Diocese of Murska Sobota are Lendava, Ljutomer, Murska Sobota.[11]

Judiciary

There are two ecclesiastical courts of first instance in Slovenia:

  • Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Court in Ljubljana for Archdiocese of Ljubljana and dioceses of Koper and Novo mesto,
  • Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Court in Maribor for Archdiocese of Maribor and dioceses of Celje and Murska Sobota.

Second instance courts are in Maribor (for Metropolis of Ljubljana) and Ljubljana (for Metropolis of Maribor).

The court of third instance operates within the Roman Curia and is called the Roman Rota. In addition, within the Holy See, there is the Apostolic Signatura, which is an administrative court responsible for assessing the validity of canonical legal procedures for the universal Church; it also has authority over the appointment of ecclesiastical judges in local courts. The third court within the universal Church is the Apostolic Penitentiary, which is responsible for matters concerning the internal sacramental forum of the Church. A tribunal has also been established within the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which deals with criminal offenses related to sexual abuse.[12]

Relations with the Holy See

Slovenia and the Holy See concluded a concordate on May 28, 2004.

The Holy See has a apostolic nunciature in Ljubljana and Slovenia has a separate embassy in Rome, responsible for the Holy See (additionally to the one for the Italian Republic). Archbishop Luigi Bianco, Titular of Falerone, is the current Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia[7] and the Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo. Franc But is an ambassador of Slovenia to the Holy See.

Slovenians in the Roman Curia

Cardinal Franc Rode CM served as Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life from 2004 ot 2011.

Archbishops Ivan Jurkovič and Mitja Leskovar serve in the Holy See's diplomatic service. Jurkovič has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Canada since 2021, and Leskovar has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2024.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Eurobarometer 90.4 (December 2018): Attitudes of Europeans towards Biodiversity, Awareness and Perceptions of EU customs, and Perceptions of Antisemitism", Special Eurobarometer, European Union: European Commission, 2019, archived from the original on 13 March 2020, retrieved 15 May 2021 – via GESIS
  2. ^ "Special Eurobarometer 493, European Union: European Commission, September 2019, pages 229-230". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Prebivalstvo in katoličani v Sloveniji (page 72)" (PDF). katoliska-cerkev.si. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Slovenian Catholic Church official report for 2019". Slovenian Catholic Church. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  5. ^ Surk, Barbara (1997-09-28). "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: EAST VILLAGE; Slovenian Church Endures". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  6. ^ "After 95 Years, Slovenians Still Find Refuge at St. Cyril's Church". localeastvillage.com. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  7. ^ a b "Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich".
  8. ^ "Prebivalstvo in katoličani v Sloveniji (page 72)" (PDF). katoliska-cerkev.si. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Cerkev v Sloveniji | Katoliška cerkev". katoliska-cerkev.si. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Ljubljanska metropolija | Katoliška cerkev". katoliska-cerkev.si. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Mariborska metropolija | Katoliška cerkev". katoliska-cerkev.si. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  12. ^ "Cerkveno sodišče". Nadškofija Ljubljana (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2025-07-05.


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