Diocese of Saint John XXIII of Sofia, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 (Bulgarian Rite)

Rite: Bulgarian (Byzantine)

Name: Saint John XXIII of Sofia (English) / Hl. Johannes XXIII. in Sofia (Deutsch) / San Juan XXIII de Sofía (español) / San Giovanni XXIII di Sofia (Italiano) / św. Jana XXIII w Sofii (polski) / Свети Йоан XXII (български език) / Sanctus Ioannes XXIII Sophiæ pro fidelibus ritus byzantini slavorum (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Neighbouring Dioceses: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Strumica–Skopje (↙), Saint Nicholas of Ruski Krstur (↖), Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (↑), Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti (↗), Istanbul (↘), Greece (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

History

1926: Established as Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia / София (български език) / Sophiæ (Latin) (from the suppressed Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople, Apostolic Vicariate of Macedonia and Apostolic Vicariate of Tracia)
2019.10.11: Promoted as Diocese of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (English) / Hl. Johannes XXIII. in Sofia (Deutsch) / San Juan XXIII de Sofía (español) / San Giovanni XXIII di Sofia (Italiano) / św. Jana XXIII w Sofii (polski) / Свети Йоан XXII (български език) / Sanctus Ioannes XXIII Sophiæ pro fidelibus ritus byzantini slavorum (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.04.08 – ...):

Bishop Petko Valov (60)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria

Ordinaries

Bishops of Saint John XXIII of Sofia (Bulgarian Rite)

Bishop Petko Valov (60)
(2024.04.08 – ...)

Bishop of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria)
President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria

Born:	1966.01.08 (Sofia, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1997.10.11
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.07.06

Priest of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1997.10.11 – 2024.04.08)

General Secretary of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (2020 – 2024)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (2024 – ...)

Bishop of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (2024.04.08 – ...)

Bishop Christo Proykov (80)
(2019.10.11 – 2024.04.08)

Bishop emeritus of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria)

Born:	1946.03.11 (Sofia, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1971.05.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.01.06

Priest of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1971.05.23 – 1993.12.18)

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1993.12.18 – 1995.09.05)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1993.12.18 – 2019.10.11)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (1995 – 2024)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1995.09.05 – 2019.10.11)

Bishop of Saint John XXIII of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (2019.10.11 – 2024.04.08)

Apostolic Exarchs of Sofia (Bulgarian Rite)

Bishop Christo Proykov (80)
(1995.09.05 – 2019.10.11)

(see above)

Archbishop Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A.
(1971.03.09 – 1995.09.05)

Born:	1916.01.11 (Srem-Jambol, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1942.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.09.05
Died:	2006.05.12 († 90)

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1963.04.28 – 1971.03.09)

Titular Bishop of Diocletianoplis in Thracia (1963.04.28 – 1993.12.18)

President of Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria (1970 – 1995)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1971.03.09 – 1995.09.05)

Titular Archbishop of Diocletianoplis in Thracia (1993.12.18 – 2006.05.12)

Bishop Kyril Stefan Kurteff
(1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Born:	1891.07.18 (Dripcevo, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1914.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.12.05
Died:	1971.03.09 († 79)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1926.07.31 – 1971.03.09)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Bishop Ivan Garufaloff, C.R.
(1942.07.06 – 1951.04.27)

Born:	1887.08.28 (Malko Tarnovo, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1912.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1942.11.01
Died:	1951.08.07 († 63)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1942.07.06 – 1951.04.27)

Titular Bishop of Lagania (1942.07.06 – 1951.08.07)

Bishop Kyril Stefan Kurteff
(1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Born:	1891.07.18 (Dripcevo, Bulgaria)
Ordained Priest:	1914.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.12.05
Died:	1971.03.09 († 79)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1926.07.31 – 1941.05.30)

Titular Bishop of Briula (1926.07.31 – 1971.03.09)

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia of the Bulgarians (Bulgaria) (1951.04.27 – 1971.03.09)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: Bishop Christo Proykov (80) (1993.12.18 – 1995.09.05)
Coadjutor Apostolic Exarch: Bishop Metodi Dimitrov Stratiev, A.A. (later Archbishop) (1963.04.28 – 1971.03.09)