The Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (formerly known as the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys) (Latin: Eparchia Vannaisensis) is the Catholic eparchy (diocese) governing most Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in the western United States. Its headquarters are at 8131 North 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. The current bishop is the Most Reverend Gerald Nicholas Dino.
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The Eparchy's territorial jurisdiction includes the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. It is a suffragan of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Currently, Holy Protection Eparchy of Phoenix has 19 parishes and one mission under its canonical jurisdiction. Most parishes follow the Ruthenian tradition, although the eparchy includes one parish of the Italo-Albanian tradition.
The creation of a new Ruthenian eparchy for the western United States was proposed by the metropolitan synod in 1981. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches a dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for the Eastern Rite Churches in communion with the Holy See, recommended the erection of a new eparchy, and it was approved by Pope John Paul II.
The Eparchy of Van Nuys was canonically inaugurated on March 9, 1982, when Archbishop Stephen Kocisko, Metropolitan of the Metropolia of Pittsburgh installed Thomas Dolinay as the first bishop of the eparchy. Archbishop Pio Laghi, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, represented the Roman Pontiff and read the Papal Bull creating the eparchy and appointing Dolinay. Cardinal Timothy Manning, Archbishop of Los Angeles delivered the homily. The Church of St. Mary in Sherman Oaks, California, was designated as the cathedral.[1]
In 1990, with the retirement of Archbishop Kocisko of Pittsburgh approaching, Pope John Paul II relieved Dolinay of his duties as Bishop of Van Nuys and appointed him Coadjutor Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh on February 19, 1990.[2] The Pope appointed the Auxiliary Bishop of Passaic, George Kuzma, to succeed Bishop Dolinay.
After the Northridge earthquake of 1994 damaged the Cathedral of St. Mary, the eparchial offices, and the bishop's residence, Bishop George Kuzma moved his office and residence to Phoenix, Arizona. On February 10, 2010, the seat of the diocese was officially changed to Phoenix. Accordingly, the former pro-cathedral of St. Stephen was given the title of Cathedral, and the Cathedral of St. Mary received the title of Proto-Cathedral.[3]
A third major church in the eparchy has the title of pro-cathedral, St. Nicholas of Myra Pro-Cathedral in Anchorage, Alaska.
† = deceased
The eparchy has 19 parishes, one mission, 2,795 faithful, 27 priests, and 20 religious men and women.[4]
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