Albanian Catholic Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania

Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania Administratio Apostolica Albaniae Meridionalis Administratura Apostolike e Shqiperisë së Jugut
Location
Country	Albania
Territory	Southern Albania
Ecclesiastical province	Tiranë–Durrës
Metropolitan	Tiranë–Durrës
Statistics
Area
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2014) 2,140,000 3,596 (0.2%)
Parishes	11
Information
Sui iuris church	Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church
Rite	Byzantine Rite
Established	November 11, 1939
Cathedral	Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Louis in Vlorë
Secular priests	8
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Apostolic Administrator	Hil Kabashi
Metropolitan Archbishop	Rrok Mirdita Archbishop of Tiranë–Durrës

The Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania (Latin: Administratura Apostolike e Shqiperisë së Jugut, Latin: Administratio Apostolica Albaniae Meridionalis, Italian: Albania Meridionale) is a suffragan pre-diocesan Eastern Catholic in the otherwise Latin Ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tiranë–Durrës in Albania.

It is the only component of the particular Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church sui juris (Byzantine Rite, Albanian language). Although an Apostolic Administration, it is not exempt (directly subject to the Holy See) but suffragan to a Latin Archbishopric.

Its episcopal see is a Pro-Cathedral: Kisha e Shën Maria dhe Shën Luigji Kisha e Shën Maria dhe Shën Luigji, in Vlore.

History

• On November 11, 1939, the Holy See established the Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania. Initially, the incumbents weren't even Italo-Albanian and the office not their main ecclesiastical mandate.

Episcopal Ordinaries

(all Albanian Catholic)

Apostolic Administrators of Southern Albania

• Leone Giovanni Battista Nigris, Titular Archbishop of Philippi, while Apostolic Delegate to Albania, (1940 – 1945)
• Nicola Vincenzo Prennushi, Franciscans (O.F.M.) (1946 – death 1949.03.19), while Latin Archbishop of Durrës in office (1940.06.26 – 1949.03.19); previously Bishop of Sapë (Albania) (1936.01.27 – 1940.06.26
• Ivan Dias, Titular Archbishop of Rusibisir, while Apostolic Nuncio (papal ambassador) to Albania (1992 – 1996.11.08), previously Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Benin (1982.05.08 – 1987.06.20), Ghana and Togo (1982.05.08 – 1987.06.20), Apostolic Nuncio to Korea (1987.06.20 – 1991.01.16); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Bombay (India) (1996.11.08 – 2006.05.20), created Cardinal-priest of Spirito Santo alla Ferratella (2001.02.21 [2001.06.03] – ...), Prefect of the Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (2006.05.20 – 2011.05.10), President of the Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious (2006.05.20 – 2011.05.10), Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urbaniana University (2006.05.20 – 2011.05.10)
• Hil Kabashi, O.F.M., Titular Bishop of Turres in Byzacena (1996.12.03 - ...)

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Albania

Sources and External links

• GCatholic.org, with incumbent biography links
• Catholic Hierarchy