Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Veszprém

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Veszprém (Hungarian: Veszprémi Főegyházmegye, Latin: Archidioecesis Veszprimiensis) is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary. Believed to have been established in 1009 AD by King Stephen I of Hungary, as the Diocese of Veszprém, the diocese was originally a suffragan to the Archdiocese of Esztergom. In 1992, the Diocese was elevated to an Archdiocese. The Archdiocese is the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Kaposvár and the Diocese of Szombathely.

The Cathedral of Veszprém is dedicated to Saint Michael. The current archbishop is Gyula Márfi who was appointed in 1997.

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Establishment of the Diocese

The circumstances of the establishment of the episcopal see in Veszprém are still under debate. It is probable that Veszprém was the habitual residence of Bishop Bruno, who had been sent to evangelise the Magyars in 972; but it was probably only in 1009 when King Stephen I of Hungary issued the Deed of Foundation of the Diocese of Veszprém[1]. Based on the Deed of Foundation, the territory of the Diocese of Veszprém extended over the territories of the Counties of Veszprém, Fejér, Visegrád and Kolon[2]. The Diocese of Veszprém was suffragan to the Archdiocese of Esztergom.

When the Abbey of Pannonhalma was established in 1001, King Stephen I granted the tithes of the County of Somogy to the Abbey, but the county itself still belonged to the Diocese of Veszprém.

The diocese was linked traditionally to the Queen Consort of Hungary. Thus, the ius patronatus of the Cathedral in Veszprém was due to not only the King of Hungary but also his Queen.

11th-14th centuries

Based on the tradition, the Bishop of Veszprém was entitled to crown Queens Consort in Hungary, and this tradition was confirmed by an agreement between Bishop Robert of Veszprém and Archbishop János of Esztergom in April 1216.

The Bishops of Veszprém became also the Chancellors of the Queens Consort. The first Bishop of Veszprém, who used the title was Bertalan, Bishop of Veszprém, and in 1269 King Béla IV of Hungary confirmed that the title was connected to the Bishopric.

In the year 1294 Queen Fenenna confirmed that, at that time, the former(!) Queen Elizabeth had the privilege to collect the donations of the church in the Veszprém County.

On 26 October 1313, King Charles I of Hungary and Bishop Stephen Kéki concluded an agreement under which the Bishop ceded the tithe of Csepel Island to the King in exchange for the County of Veszprém. The agreement was confirmed, in 1392, by King Sigismund I; therefore the Bishops of Veszprém became also the Perpetual Counts of Veszprém.

Secular offices connected to the bishopric

The Bishops of Veszprém were, from the 13th century, the Chancellors of the Queens Consort (Hungarian: a királyné kancellárja, Latin: cancellarius reginalis), and they were Perpetual Counts of Veszprém (Hungarian: Veszprém vármegye örökös főispánja, Latin: Vesprimiensis perpetuus supremus comes) from the 14th century till 1773.

List of the Bishops and Archbishops of Veszprém

Sources

References

  1. ^ However, it is not clear whether it was really a Deed of Foundation or it only served to determine the frontiers of the diocese and the estates of the bishopric.
  2. ^ "Therefore, let the Holy Church of God and all our present and future adherents know that we place four castles (by name Veszprém, where the episcopal see is found, Fehérvár, Kolon and Visegrád) under Saint Michael's Church in Veszprém, together with all their churches, chapels, altars, frontiers and lands".
  3. ^ a b http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvesz.html
  4. ^ http://www.netlexikon.hu/yrk/Ryrgenwm/1609

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvesz.html

Province of Eger
Province of Esztergom–Budapest
Province of Kalocsa–Kecskemet
Province of Veszprem
Archdiocese of Veszprém · Diocese of Kaposvár · Diocese of Szombathely
Sui iuris Jurisdictions
Military Ordinariate of Hungary · Territorial Abbey of Pannonhalma