Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Tromsø

Territorial Prelature of Tromsø Praelatura Territorialis Tromsoeanus
Location
Country	Norway
Metropolitan	Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Area
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 477,398 5,054 (1.1%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	Vår Frue Kirke, Tromsø (Pro-Cathedral)
Current leadership
Bishop	Berislav Grgić

Cathedral

The Territorial Prelature of Tromsø (Latin: Praelatura Territorialis Tromsoeanus) is a Roman Catholic territorial prelature located in the city of Tromsø in Norway. The territory is divided into 7 parishes located in the following sites: Tromsø, Bodø, Hammerfest, Harstad, Mosjøen, Narvik and Storfjord.

History

The Reformation in Norway ended organized Catholic practice in 1537. Between 1688 and 1834 northern Norway formally formed part of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of the Nordic Missions, before it passed to the Apostolic Vicariate of Sweden in 1834. In 1855 Norway north of the polar circle became part of the new Apostolic Prefecture of the North Pole. This only lasted until August 17, 1869, when northern Norway rejoined with the rest of Norway in the new Apostolic Prefecture of Norway (upgraded to Apostolic Vicariate of Norway in 1892).

In 1931 the Apostolic Vicariate of Norway was divided into three Catholic jurisdictions, one for southern Norway (called Apostolic Vicariate of Oslo, 1931–1953; Diocese of Oslo since) and another for central Norway (called Missionary District of Central Norway, 1931–1935; Apostolic Prefecture of Central Norway, 1935–1953; Apostolic Vicariate of Central Norway, 1953–1979; Prelature of Trondheim since). The third Catholic jurisdiction, the one for Norway north of the polar circle (called Missionary District of Northern Norway on 8 April 1931; Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Norway since 10 March 1944; Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Norway since 18 February 1955), became the Prelature of Tromsø on 28 March 1979.

Leadership

• Prelates of Tromsø
  • Bishop Berislav Grgić (December 18, 2008 - )
  • Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Goebel, M.S.F. (March 29, 1979 – November 4, 2006)
• Vicars Apostolic of Northern Norway
  • Bishop João Batista Przyklenk, M.S.F. (March 1, 1976 – February 19, 1977)
  • Bishop Johann Wember, M.S.F. (February 18, 1955 – 1976)
• Prefects Apostolic of Northern Norway
  • Fr. Johann Wember, M.S.F. (later Bishop) (March 10, 1944 – February 18, 1955)
• Ecclesiastical Superiors of Northern Norway
  • Fr. Johann Wember, M.S.F. (later Bishop) (November 17, 1939 – March 10, 1944)
  • Fr. Giovanni Starcke, M.S.F. (December 5, 1931 – 1939)

See also

• Roman Catholic Church in Norway
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Oslo
• Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim

References

• GCatholic.org
• Catholic Hierarchy
• Prelature website