Sofia e Plovdiv (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Georgi Ivanov Yovchev, Bishop
Rumen Ivanov Stanev, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 3 March 1979
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Bulgaria
Square Kilometers: 80,000 (30,900 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: bul. Kn. Maria Luisa 3, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Telephone: 898.224.220

Historical Details

Diocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
- Latin Name: Sardicensis seu Sophiensis
- Restored: 1601
- Country: Bulgaria
Archdiocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
- Latin Name: Sardicensis seu Sophiensis
- Elevated: 1642
- Country: Bulgaria
Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv
- Latin Name: Sophiae et Philippopolis
- Name Changed: 1758
- Vicariate
- Country: Bulgaria

Past and Present Ordinaries

Petrus Salinates, O.F.M. Obs. † (10 Sep 1601 Appointed - 4 Apr 1623 Died)
Elias Marini (Marinich), O.F.M. Obs. † (29 Jul 1624 Appointed - 15 Jun 1641 Died)
Petăr Bogdan Bakšič, O.F.M. Obs. † (15 Jun 1641 Succeeded - 1 Sep 1674 Died)
Stefan Knezevic (Conti), O.F.M. Obs. † (5 Apr 1677 Appointed - 28 Oct 1691 Died)
Paulus Joscich † (28 Nov 1707 Appointed - 20 Dec 1723 Died)
Marko Andrijašević (Andreassi) † (20 Dec 1723 Appointed - 24 Apr 1740 Died)
Nicolaus Radovani † (23 Sep 1743 Appointed - 18 Dec 1752 Appointed, Archbishop of Durrës (Durazzo))
Benedetto Zuzzeri (Zuzeri) † (14 Jan 1754 Appointed - )
Giuseppe Roverani (Roverano) † (11 Dec 1758 Appointed - 10 Mar 1767 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Constantinople)
Gjergj Engjëll Radovani † (30 Apr 1767 Appointed - 29 Jul 1771 Appointed, Bishop of Shkodrë (Scutari))
Paul Dovanlia † (31 Jul 1771 Appointed - 16 Oct 1776 Appointed, Bishop of Nicopoli)
Giorgio Tuno † (15 Dec 1802 Appointed - 1817 Died)
Andreas Tuno † (29 Jul 1817 Appointed - 1834 Resigned)
Johann Nepomuk Fortner, C.SS.R. † ( 1835 Appointed - 16 Feb 1836 Died)
Jean Nepomucene (Ivan) Ptacek, C.SS.R. † ( 1836 Appointed - 1840 Resigned)
Andrea Canova, O.F.M. Cap. † (15 Jul 1843 Appointed - 10 Aug 1866 Died)
Francesco Domenico Reynaudi (Raynaud), O.F.M. Cap. † (17 Dec 1867 Appointed - 5 May 1885 Resigned)
Roberto Menini, O.F.M. Cap. † (5 May 1885 Succeeded - 12 Oct 1916 Died)
Cletus Vincent Pejov (Peef), O.F.M. Cap. † (12 Oct 1916 Succeeded - 3 Nov 1941 Died)
Ivan Romanov (Romanoff) † (6 Jul 1942 Appointed - 8 Jan 1953 Died)
Bogdan Stefanov Dobranov † (22 Jul 1975 Appointed - 4 Oct 1983 Died)
Georgi Ivanov Yovchev (13 Nov 1995 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
1601	Restored		Diocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
Archdiocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
1642	Elevated	Diocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)	Archdiocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv
1758	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)	Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv
Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv
3 March 1979	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv	Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv

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

Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv

1950 28,230 3,720,000 .8% 15 51 66 427 30 134 13 ap1951

1967 30,000 8 25 33 909 15 ap1981

Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv

1990 35,000 5,000,000 .7% 11 3 14 2,500 8 13 19 ap1991

1999 35,200 5,000,000 .7% 6 8 14 2,514 8 24 16 ap2000

2000 35,000 5,000,000 .7% 7 12 19 1,842 14 22 16 ap2001

2001 35,000 5,000,000 .7% 10 12 22 1,590 12 22 16 ap2002

2002 35,000 5,000,000 .7% 8 12 20 1,750 12 22 16 ap2003

2003 35,000 5,000,000 .7% 8 12 20 1,750 1 18 22 16 ap2004

2004 34,000 5,000,000 .7% 9 12 21 1,619 19 22 16 ap2005

2010 33,000 5,000,000 .7% 14 12 26 1,269 17 25 17 ap2011

2014 33,000 4,935,000 .7% 11 12 23 1,434 14 25 17 ap2015

2017 33,000 5,000,000 .7% 13 12 25 1,320 14 20 18 ap2018

2020 32,800 4,527,700 .7% 11 10 21 1,561 12 20 14 ap2021

2022 32,550 4,495,420 .7% 10 12 22 1,479 12 16 14 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Sofia e Plovdiv
1950	28,230	3,720,000	.8%	15	51	66	427		30	134	13	ap1951
1967	30,000			8	25	33	909				15	ap1981
Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv
1990	35,000	5,000,000	.7%	11	3	14	2,500		8	13	19	ap1991
1999	35,200	5,000,000	.7%	6	8	14	2,514		8	24	16	ap2000
2000	35,000	5,000,000	.7%	7	12	19	1,842		14	22	16	ap2001
2001	35,000	5,000,000	.7%	10	12	22	1,590		12	22	16	ap2002
2002	35,000	5,000,000	.7%	8	12	20	1,750		12	22	16	ap2003
2003	35,000	5,000,000	.7%	8	12	20	1,750	1	18	22	16	ap2004
2004	34,000	5,000,000	.7%	9	12	21	1,619		19	22	16	ap2005
2010	33,000	5,000,000	.7%	14	12	26	1,269		17	25	17	ap2011
2014	33,000	4,935,000	.7%	11	12	23	1,434		14	25	17	ap2015
2017	33,000	5,000,000	.7%	13	12	25	1,320		14	20	18	ap2018
2020	32,800	4,527,700	.7%	11	10	21	1,561		12	20	14	ap2021
2022	32,550	4,495,420	.7%	10	12	22	1,479		12	16	14	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Marko Andrijašević (Andreassi) † (Archbishop: 20 Dec 1723 to 24 Apr 1740)
Petăr Bogdan Bakšič, O.F.M. Obs. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 13 Feb 1638; Bishop: 15 Jun 1641; Archbishop: 6 Dec 1642 to 1 Sep 1674)
Andrea Canova, O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 Jul 1843 to 10 Aug 1866)
Samuel Seraphimov Djoundrine, A.A. †
Bogdan Stefanov Dobranov † (Apostolic Administrator: 10 Oct 1959 to 27 Apr 1965; Vicar Apostolic: 22 Jul 1975; Bishop: 14 Dec 1978 to 4 Oct 1983)
Paul Dovanlia † (Vicar Apostolic: 31 Jul 1771 to 16 Oct 1776)
Francesco Dragano † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 8 May 1832 - Did Not Take Effect)
Johann Nepomuk Fortner, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 1835 to 16 Feb 1836)
Paulus Joscich † (Archbishop: 28 Nov 1707 to 20 Dec 1723)
Stefan Knezevic (Conti), O.F.M. Obs. † (Archbishop: 5 Apr 1677 to 28 Oct 1691)
Simeon Kokov (Kokoff), O.F.M. Cap. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Apr 1958; Apostolic Administrator: 27 Apr 1965 to 11 Jul 1974)
Elias Marini (Marinich), O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 29 Jul 1624 to 15 Jun 1641)
Roberto Menini, O.F.M. Cap. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jan 1880; Vicar Apostolic: 5 May 1885 to 12 Oct 1916)
Cletus Vincent Pejov (Peef), O.F.M. Cap. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 13 Dec 1912; Vicar Apostolic: 12 Oct 1916 to 3 Nov 1941)
Jean Nepomucene (Ivan) Ptacek, C.SS.R. † (Vicar Apostolic: 1836 to 1840)
Gjergj Engjëll Radovani † (Vicar Apostolic: 30 Apr 1767 to 29 Jul 1771)
Nicolaus Radovani † (Archbishop: 23 Sep 1743 to 18 Dec 1752)
Francesco Domenico Reynaudi (Raynaud), O.F.M. Cap. † (Vicar Apostolic: 17 Dec 1867 to 5 May 1885)
Ivan Romanov (Romanoff) † (Priest: 21 Sep 1901; Vicar Apostolic: 6 Jul 1942 to 8 Jan 1953)
Giuseppe Roverani (Roverano) † (Vicar Apostolic: 11 Dec 1758 to 10 Mar 1767)
Petrus Salinates, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 10 Sep 1601 to 4 Apr 1623)
Andreas Tuno † (Vicar Apostolic: 29 Jul 1817 to 1834)
Giorgio Tuno † (Vicar Apostolic: 15 Dec 1802 to 1817)
Benedetto Zuzzeri (Zuzeri) † (Archbishop: 14 Jan 1754 - )

Source(s)

Diocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 319
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 5, Page 360
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 6, Page 384
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 349
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 416, to Page 417
Archdiocese of Sardica (Sredek, Sofia)
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 319
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 5, Page 360
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 6, Page 384

Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv

Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 71, Page 637, and Page 638

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Diocese of Sofia e Plovdiv

Dioecesis Sophiae et Philippopolis