Aydin Eroglu: "The Treasures of Istanbul" (2009)

The Roman Catholic Church in Turkey

There are approximately 35,000 Roman Catholics in Turkey, constituting around 0.05% of the total population.  (This is from the Wikipedia entry, Roman Catholicism in Turkey.) It is a bit difficult to get details on all the churches, but I'm giving whatever information I can find.

Latin Rite

Please note that most American Catholics are only familiar with the Latin Rite.  There are also many Eastern Rite Catholic Churches in union with Rome in the United States, but the whole Eastern Rite Catholic world off the radar of most ordinary Catholics.  There are approximately 11,000 Eastern Rite Catholics (6,000 Chaldean and 3,700 Armenian, and a tiny population of Byzantine Catholics in Istanbul.)

There are three Latin Rite jurisdictions in Turkey (information from the Catholic Hierarchy website for Turkey, and GigaCatholic Information, both being unofficial and private but well maintained source of information worldwide):

• the Archdiocese of Izmir (Smirne), headed by Archbishop Ruggero Franceschini, O.F.M.Cap., with about 10 parishes and approximately 2,000 Catholics;
  
• the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, headed by Bishop Luigi Padovese, O.F.M.Cap, with about 11 parishes and approximately 5,000 Catholics; and
  
• the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul, headed by Bishop Louis Prelatre, A.A., with about 13 parishes and approximately 15,000 Catholics.
  

The official numbers of Catholics, given in different sources, don't add up, but there's a great deal of difficulty getting an accurate count.  It's also difficult to get an accurate count even of the numbers of active churches at which Mass might be available.  The difference between an Archdiocese and an Apostolic Vicariate is rather technical and need not concern us here.  An Archdiocese has more local autonomy, while an Apostolic Vicariate, is directlty under the control of Rome.  Note also that there is a Papal Nuncio (essentially a Vatican Ambassador) to Turkey who has offices in Ankara.  Archbishop Giuseppe Roncalli, later Pope John XXIII, was Papal Nuncio from 1935 to 1944, and much beloved by the Turks, who still call him "our Turkish Pope."  At that time, he lived at the Papal Nunciature behind the Cathedral in Istanbul, and the city later renamed the street "Papa Roncalli."

Only the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia maintains an official (and very good) website.  Almost all of the site is in English, as well as Turkish and Italian.  It not only lists the churches in the various cities in its jurisdiction, but also has a lot of colorful background information.  Unfortunately, neither the Archdiocese of Izmir nor the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul maintains a website, so information has to be pieced together from a variety of sources.

I will also work on the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches after compiling a list of the Latin Rite Catholic Churches, which are on a separate post, Directory of Catholic Churches in Turkey.

Directory of Catholic Churches in Turkey

Istanbul

Please see the listing at MyMerhaba for the addresses and phone numbers of the principal Catholic Churches in Istanbul:

Cathedral of St. Esprit (Holy Spirit)

This is the principal church, although it is little known.  It's on Cumhurryet Caddesi, across from the Hilton and a few blocks from Taksim Square, but is somewhat hidden behind the gates of the Notre Dame de Sion High School (French Lisesi).  Masses are either in Turkish or French. In the courtyard is the famous statue of Pope Benedict XV, erected and paid for by the Sultan Mehmed VI in 1923, the same year Ottoman rule was overthrown by Ataturk  and the Turkish Republic was established, and the year after Pope Benedict died unexpectedly of pneumonia.  Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI celebrated Mass here during thier visits to Turkey as popes.  Pope John XXIII, when he was Apostolic Delegate to Turkey as Archbishop Roncalli, 1935-1944, celebrated Mass here frequently.

St. Anthony of Padua (St. Antoine or Sent Antuan Kilisesi in Turkish)

Located on Istiklal Caddesi, this is the largest and most popular Catholic Church in the whole city.  (The Wikipedia article identifies it as a "cathedral" but it's not; a cathedral is the church of the bishop of a diocese, the place where his "chair"--Latin, cathedra--is located.)  The Sent Antuan website has a Mass schedule, including a Sunday Mass in English.  A brand new and very lovely statue of Pope John XXIII, still much loved as the "Turkish Pope."  It is also not unusual to see quite a few Muslims visiting the church for quiet reflection and prayer.

St. Louis the French Church, on the grounds of the former French Embassy.

Sts. Peter and Paul, in former Dominican convent.

Santa Maria in Draperis, in Beyoglu.

Note: all of the above are both historic and currently active chuches, and relatively close to each other on the Galata side of the Golden Horn.  Throughout the Ottoman rule, this area was populated by Europeans, mostly Italians, French, and Greeks.  The following churches are in the suburbs.

Assumption Church in Kadikoy, ancient Chalcedon., location of the Fourth Ecumenical Council.  This is on the Asian side of the city.

St. Stefanos in Yesilkoy (meaning, "Green Village"), is about 10 miles west of historic Istanbul on the Marmara coast, very near the airport. 

MyMerhaba also lists an unnamed church in Bakirkoy, which is between Yesilkoy and the historic center.

There is also a Catholic Church, Our Lady of Czestochowa (of course!), in the Polish Village of Polonezkoy or Adampol, set in the unbelievably charming, wooded region, about fifteen miles north of Istanbul, toward the Black Sea.  Here's the village's official and very beautiful website, with some info about the church. Unfortunately it's all in Turkish; there used to be a section in English, but I don't see it there any more.

There is also a small Greek Catholic Church, Ayatriada, in the Beyolglu district, on a side street just off Istiklal Caddesi.  According to the very extensive and informative website, they serve a small Chaldean community too.

Apostolic Vicariate of Bulgaria (Sofia) -- has jurisdiction over Thrace (Trakya)

Edirne

According to Wikipedia, there are several Latin Rite Catholic Churches in Edirne, as well as Bulgarian and Greek Uniate Churches, but I have not yet been able to track down any further information about them. See also this article on the "absoluteastronomy" site, which substanially repeats Wikipedia's.  They are under the jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Apostolic Vicariate in Sofia, not Istanbul.  I have not yet found anything on the usual tourist sites.

Gallipoli

Wikipedia says there was a mission in Ottoman times, staffed by Assumptionist Fathers, and that there are still Armenian and Greek Catholics (not Orthodox) served by their priests.

(I will try to contact the Assumptionist and Resurrectionist Religious orders, and see if they can provide any more information.)

Archdiocese of Izmir (Smirna)

The Achdiocese itself does not have a website, but there is a large list of Catholic Churches on this "Guide to Turkey" website.  St. Polycarp is the most popular Church for pilgrims to visit, but we've found access more difficult over the last two years.   Santa Maria, an Italian Church right around the corner, was much more accommodating.  I recall visiting St. John's Cathedral in 1970, stumbling upon it by accident.  I think it also serves as a U.S. Military chapel, and has Mass in English, as well as other denominational services.  I don't know anything about the other churches listed.  So far, I haven't found anything more on any other tourist websites.

(Unfortuantely the Guide to Turkey website only lists churches in Izmir and Istanbul, and Istanbul's is a very incomplete listing.)

Ephesus

Of course, there's the House of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ephesus, and there's a lot of tourist information available about it.

 

Konya

The little Church of St. Paul (picture) in the downtown area is open and under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Izmir, in collaboration with the Diocese of Trento in Italy.  It is currently staffed by two Italian nuns from Trento, and does not have a resident priest.  They are very hospitable to pilgrimage groups, and pilgrimages are often the only occasion they have Mass.  (I have their brochure, but not with me while I'm away from the parish.  Later I'll be able to give more information.)

Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia

The Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia has a beautiful and extensive website, much of it in English, with information about all the Catholic Churches in its jurisdiction:

• Iskenderun (Cathedral Church)
  
• Adana
  
• Antakya
  
• Guzel Yayla
  
• Mersin
  
• Samsun
  
• Tarsus
  
• Trabzon
  

You can very easily find out details about each of these churches (some of it onlyin Italian, however) at the website.

Ankara

Not on the website, however, is the Apostolic Nunciature in Ankara (Vatican Embassy/St Mary Church), where Sunday Mass is also available.

The official Mary's House website also has a link to a St. Teresa Church in Ankara, whose website is only in Turkish--looks quite nice, though.

Other areas, and farther east in Turkey:  There are Armenian and Chaldean, as well as Greek, Catholic jurisdictions in Turkey (as I said before, these are in union with Rome, as distinct from Orthodox, which are not).  These also are churches where a Catholic could attend Mass and be comfortable that they are Catholic, even if the rites might seem unfamiliar.  I will work further on those.