Roman Catholic Diocese of Banská Bystrica

The Diocese of Banská Bystrica (Slovak: Banskobystrická diecéza, Latin: Dioecesis Neosoliensis) is a Latin Church diocese of th Catholic Church in central Slovakia. Its seat is in Banská Bystrica. On Tuesday 20 November 2012, according to biographical information in a press release from the Holy See Press Office's Vatican Information Service (VIS), Pope Benedict XVI appointed Auxiliary Bishop Marián Chovanec of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nitra (based in Nitra, Slovakia), Titular Bishop of Massita, as Bishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Banská Bystrica. Bishop Chovanec was born on 16 September 1957 in Trenčin, Slovakia, a part of the Diocese of Nitra. He was expelled from the Seminary in Bratislava, Slovakia, because he had refused to cooperate with the Government-backed Association "Pacem in Terris" (Peace on Earth). He then worked as a laborer. After seven years, he was able to conclude his theological studies and be ordained a priest in 1989; he became an Auxiliary Bishop of Nitra in 1999 and Vicar General in 2003 and is active in the Slovak Bishops' Conference.[1]

Diocese of Banská Bystrica

Dioecesis Neosoliensis

Banskobystrická Diecéza
Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Banská Bystrica
Coat of arms of the Diocese of Banská Bystrica
Coat of arms
Location
Country Slovakia
TerritoryWestern part of Banská Bystrica, parts of Žilina, Nitra and Trenčín regions
Ecclesiastical provinceBratislava
MetropolitanBratislava
Statistics
Area6,750 km2 (2,610 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2015)
605,284
373,713 (61.7%)
Parishes155
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established13 March 1776
CathedralCathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Banská Bystrica
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopMarián Chovanec
Map
Map of the Diocese
Map of the Diocese

History

The diocese was established on 13 March 1776 as a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Esztergom. On 30 December 1977, it was taken from the former and became part of the newly created Slovak ecclesiastical province with metropolitan being the Diocese of Trnava, which was renamed on 31 March 1995 to the Archdiocese of Bratislava-Trnava. It covers western and central parts of the Banská Bystrica Region, eastern parts of the Trenčín Region and southern central parts of the Žilina Region. It covered an area of 5,424 km² with 590,494 people of which 62% were of Catholic faith (2006).[2]

On 14 February 2008, as a part of the changes in Slovak dioceses, the diocese lost area around Martin to the newly created Diocese of Žilina and territory around Brezno to Diocese of Rožňava. On the other hand, it gained former eastern areas of the Archdiocese of Bratislava-Trnava (from Banská Štiavnica to Šahy and Veľký Krtíš) (see e.g. this map (in Slovak), and some other border changes occurred as well.

Jozef Feranec held the title from 1973 until 1990.[3]

Bishops
Bishop or administratorAppointment dateEnd dateNotesPicture
Marián Chovanec (born 16 September 1957)20 November 2012Appointed by Pope Benedict XVI.
Marián Bublinec28 July 201120 November 2012Apostolic administrator, following the death of Bishop Rudolf Baláž.
Rudolf Baláž (20 November 1940 – 27 July 2011)14 February 199027 July 2011First and only bishop born within the diocese.
Jozef Feranec (14 March 1910 – 3 May 2003)19 February 197314 February 1990Retired in 1990.
Andrej Škrábik (13 May 1882 – 8 January 1950)21 August 19438 January 1950Appointed coadjutor bishop on 14 June 1941. Dr. Škrábik was a university professor of theology, a judge of the ecclesiastical court, and an author of polemical work in defense of the Catholic Church and religion. During the Second World War, he used the seminary and the episcopal residence to hide many political exponents. Together with Dr. John Balk is credited with the rescue of ten people.
Marián Blaha (10 July 1869 – 21 August 1943)20 December 192021 August 1943Appointed bishop by Pope Benedict XV.
Wolfgang Radnai (25 March 1848 – 14 October 1935)11 July 190416 December 1920Resigned in 1920.
Karol Rimely (4 February 1925 – 13 January 190425 May 189313 January 1904
Imre Bende (28 August 1824 – 18 March 1911)8 November 188618 March 1911
Arnold Ipolyi-Stummer (22 October 1823 – 2 December 188623 September 18711886
Sigismund Suppan (18 January 1814 – 17 July 1881)30 March 18707 October 1870Resigned.
Štefan Moyses (24 October 1797 – 5 July 1869)5 September 18505 July 1869Portrait by Jozef Božetech Klemens
Józef Rudňanský (28 October 1788 – 24 November 1859)22 August 184414 March 1850Resigned.
Jozef Belanský (20 June 1769 – 3 January 1843)10 October 18233 January 1843Emperor Francis II appointed him bishop on 4 March 1823, and the Pope confirmed it in November 1823.[4][5][6]
Anton Makai (24 February 1756 – 8 January 1825)7 August 18181823Selected bishop of Veszprém on 10 October 1823.
Gabriel Zerdahelyi (16 October 1742 – 5 October 181322 December 18005 October 1813
František Berchtold (25 June 1730 – 14 August 179315 January 177614 August 1793

Churches

See also

References
  1. "APPOINTMENT OF BISHOP Banska Bystrica (SLOVAKIA)" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 4 June 2013.
  2. "Diocese of Banská Bystrica". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  3. "Bishop Jozef Feranec". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  4. Magyar Katolikus Lexikon, Heslo Belánszky József, bélai és felsőliszkói
  5. [Annuario Pontificio, Year 1838]
  6. Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 280.

48.7354°N 19.1462°E / 48.7354; 19.1462

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