Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Isfahan
The Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Isfahan (or Ispahan or Esfahan)[1] is a suffragan eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese), covering all of Iran, in the ecclesiastical province 'of Cilicia' of the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, the head of the Armenian Catholic Church (Armenian Rite in the Armenian language).
Saint Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Catholic Church is the only functioning place of worship and at the same time the cathedral of the eparchy, whose seat, despite its name, is located in Tehran .
History
Established on 30 April 1850 as Eparchy (Diocese) of Ispahan (Esfáan), on territory previously without Ordinary for the particular church sui iurus.
Episcopal ordinaries
(all Armenian Rite)
- Eparchs (Bishops) of Ispahan
- John Baptist Apcar (1954.09.24 – death 1967.07.09)
- Léonce Tchantayan (1967.08.05 – 1972.01.16); later Titular Bishop of Sebastopolis in Armenia (1972.01.16 – death 1990.11.13) & Auxiliary Eparch of Cilicia of the Armenians (Lebanon) (1977 – 1990.11.13)
- Vartan Tékéyan, Patriarchal Clergy Institute of Bzommar (I.C.P.B.) (1972.12.06 – death 1999.04.12), also President of Iranian Episcopal Conference (1995 – 1999)
- Neshan Karakéhéyan, I.C.P.B. (2000.09.27 – 2005.04.02), also Apostolic Administrator of Greece of the Armenians (Greece) (2000.09.27 – 2015.03.21); previously Ordinary of Greece of the Armenians (1991 – 2000.09.27); later Ordinary of East Europe of the Armenians (Armenia) (2005.04.02 – retired 2010.01.06), Patriarchal Administrator of Ispahan of the Armenians (2005.04.02 – retired 2015.10.01), Titular Archbishop of Adana of the Armenians (2005.04.02 – ...)
- Sarkis Davidian, I.C.P.B. (2015.10.01 – ...)