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.