Syriac Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela

Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela (Syrian) Exarchatus Apostolicus pro fidelibus ritus Antiocheni Syrorum in Venetiola
Location
Country	Venezuela
Ecclesiastical province	Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Statistics
Population - Catholics	(as of 2009) 5,000
Parishes	11
Information
Denomination	Syriac Catholic Church
Rite	West Syrian Rite
Established	22 June 2001 (22 years ago)
Cathedral	Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Asunción
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Exarch	Timoteo Hikmat Beylouni
Emeritus Bishops	Iwannis Louis Awad

The Syriac Catholic (or Syrian Catholic) Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela is an exarchate (missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction) of the Syrian Catholic Church, a Patriarchal Eastern Catholic church in communion with other Catholic Churches which uses the Antiochian Rite in Syriac language.

The exarchate encompasses the Andean and Amazonian country of Venezuela.

It is exempt, i.e. directly dependent on the Holy See (notably the Roman Congregation for the Oriental Churches), not part of any ecclesiastical province.

Its cathedral episcopal see is the Catedral siria Nuestra Señora de La Asunción (dedicated to the Assumption of Mary), in Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela.

History

Pope John Paul II established the Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela for Syrian Catholics on 22 June 2001.

Ordinaries

• Denys Antoine Chahda (28 June 2001 - 13 September 2001), later Archeparch (Archbishop) of Aleppo of the Syrians (Syria) (2001.09.13 – ...)
• Iwannis Louis Awad (17 May 2003 - retired 1 March 2011), emeritate as Titular Bishop of Zeugma in Syria (2003.05.17 – ...)
• Timoteo Hikmat Beylouni (1 March 2011 - ...), Titular Bishop of Sabrata (2011.03.01 – ...)

Sources and External links

• GCatholic with incumbent biography links