Syria

Christianity has been in Syria since Apostolic times.  Today, Muslims account for 87 percent of Syria’s 19 million people—10 percent are Christian.  Catholics number 300,000 to 400,000 and belong to one of six rites.  It should be noted that population numbers in Syria may not be accurate due to the ongoing civil war.

There are 13,000 Roman Rite Catholics in Syria under the Apostolic Vicariate of Aleppo.  The Vicariate was established in 1762 and is immediately subject to the Pope.

Armenian Catholics number 15,000 in Syria and are divided among three jurisdictions.  The Archdiocese of Aleppo was established in 1710 and became an archdiocese in 1899.  It is immediately subject to the Armenian patriarch.  The Diocese of Kameshli was established in 1954 and is a suffragan diocese of the Patriarch’s Archdiocese of Cilicia (see my April 17, 2019, blog on Lebanon), although it has not had a bishop since 1992.  The Patriarchal Exarchy of Damascus was established in 1984 and is immediately subject to the Armenian patriarch.  

Chaldean Catholics number 10,000 in Syria and are in the Diocese of Aleppo.  The Diocese was established in 1901 as the Diocese of Syria and was renamed in 1957.  It is immediately subject to the Chaldean patriarch. 

Greek-Melkite Rite

There are 120,000 Greek-Melkite Catholics in Syria, including the Greek-Melkite Patriarch.  The Patriarchy of Antioch was established in 1724.  Despite the name, the Patriarch is located in Damascus and his metropolitan archdiocese was established in the 3^rd Century.  The Patriarch’s cathedral in Damascus is dedicated to Our Lady of the Dormition.

From Wikipedia.

The Greek-Melkites have three other metropolitan archdioceses and one archdiocese in Syria.  

The Melkite metropolitan archdiocese of Aleppo was established as a diocese in the 4^th Century, raised to an archdiocese in the 6^th Century, and to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1790. It has no suffragan dioceses.   The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition is in Aleppo.  For pictures see:  https://www.christiansofsyria.org/locations/the-dormition-of-our-lady-melkite-cathedral-and-bishopric-at-sahet-farhat-square/

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran was established in 1687 and acquired its current name in 1881.  It has no suggragan dioceses.  The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition is in Khabab.  I could not find pictures of this cathedral.

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Homs was established as a diocese in 1727 and was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese in 1849.  It has no suffragan dioceses.  The Archdiocese has two cathedrals.  The Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Homs was badly damaged during the civil war, but has been restored.  For pictures see:  https://www.christiansofsyria.org/locations/our-lady-queen-of-peace.  The Cathedral of St. Constantine and St. Helen is in Yabrud.  I could not find pictures of this cathedral.

The Archdiocese of Latakia was established in 1961 and is immediately subject to the Greek-Melkite patriarch.

Maronite Rite

There are 60,000 Maronite Catholics in Syria under one of three jurisdictions, all of which are immediately subject to the Maronite patriarch.  The Archdiocese of Damascus was founded in 1527, the Archdiocese of Aleppo was founded in the 17^th Century, and the Diocese of Latakia was established in 1954 as a missionary territory before being promoted to a diocese in 1977.  

Syriac Rite

Syrian-rite Catholics number 70,000 in Syria and are part of two metropolitan archdioceses and two archdioceses.

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Damascus was established in 1633 and has no suffragan dioceses.  The Cathedral of Notre Dame is in Damascus.

From Wikipedia.

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Homs was established in 1678 and has no suffragan dioceses.  The Cathedral in Homs is dedicated to the Holy Spirit.  For pictures see:  https://www.christiansofsyria.org/locations/the-holy-spirit-syriac-catholic-cathedral-al-hamdiyah-district/

The Archdiocese of Aleppo was established in 1659.  The Archdiocese of Hassake-Nisibi was established as a diocese in 1957 and was promoted to an archdiocese in 1965.  The cathedral is in Hassake.  Both archdioceses are immediately subject to the Syriac patriarch.  

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also archdioceses that are not part of a province that are directly under the jurisdiction of the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  An apostolic vicariate is a missionary diocese led by a bishop.  A patriarchal exarchy and a patriarchal territorial dependency are missionary jurisdictions under the direct supervision of a patriarch.  A “see” refers to the city where a bishop’s cathedral is located.

Most Catholics in the world belong to the Latin or Roman rite.  Rite refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.  Many Catholics belong to one of two dozen Eastern rite churches.  Eastern rite churches trace their heritage to Eastern Europe and the Middle East.  Eastern rite churches sometimes use different terminologies.  For example, a diocese might be called an eparchy and is led by an eparch.  An apostolic vicariate is called an exarchy and is led by an exarch.  For more information, see my April 8, 2019 blog on the Holy Land.