HISTORY OF DIOCESE OF SUBOTICA

Is there a connection with the Holy Method?

As in the area of Backa Christianity existed from the 5th century there should of also existed the regular Church authority. In the 6th century there surely existed the Bishop's head quarters in the town of Bac. Some historians claim that after of destruction of Sremska Mitrovica the Greek Archbishopric from that town has been moved to much safer town of Bac. First proclaimed Bishop of Subotica, Matija Zvekanovic, stood behind the thesis that the Holy Method had chosen for the head quarters of it's Archbishopric the already existing Archbishopric in Bac, that is, that Archbishopric of Backa directly or indirectly comes exactly from the Holy Method. In the papers of establishing the Diocese of Zagreb from 11th century there is mentioned as contemporary also the Archbishop of Backa Fabijan.

Two metropolic Archbishoprics, two cathedrals, one Archbishop?

Diocese of Subotica has it's roots in the Archbishopric in Bac which was founded by the Holy king Ladislav around the year of 1090. Head quarters of that Archbishopric and the metropolitan chapter house was in the little town of Bac. In the year 1135 there was a unification of Archbishoprics of Bac and Kalaca. That is how Kalaca - Bac Archbishopric was founded. Archbishops are placed sometimes in Kalaca, and sometimes in Bac and they sign themselves more as Archbishops of Kalaca, but also as Archbishops of Bac. That so "forever" united Diocese still had two Cathedrals and two chapter houses: bigger in Bac and smaller in Kalaca. Archbishops are installed in both Cathedrals. In the part of Backa that now belongs to FR Yugoslavia had all the way to Battle of Mohac (1526) bloomed life in faith, and most of all the life of monks. Monks and nuns had lived in 10 abbeys and 9 ----. At the time under Turkish slavery destroyed were not only monasteries but also almost all Christian monuments. After the liberation from the Turks nor the chapter house nor Cathedral of Bac was renewed. Archbishopric still wore the name of Kalaca - Bac, but the Archbishop signs himself more frequently as Kalacian rather than Kalaca - Bac. In the area of Backa there was a slow renewal of the life of Church. Even in the time of slavery under Turks and especially after liberation at the end of 17th century the devastated Backa was inhabited by orthodox Serbs and catholic Croats. At that time there was only a small group of Hungarian believers. Through the 18th century there had been inhabitants which came from Hungary, Germany and Slovakia.

Apostolic Administration of Backa

In the year 1918 two thirds of former Kalaca - Bac Archbishopric became a part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians. Because the contact with Archbishop in Kalaca was nearly impossible, the Holy Chair placed in 1923 the Apostolic Administration of Backa with the head quarters in Subotica. The Administration was directly liable to the Holy Chair. The believers of the Administration have mostly been Hungarians, Germans, Croats and Slovaks. In the head of Administration was vicar of parish of Holy Theresa in Subotica, Lajco Budanovic, as an apostolic administrator, who on the 1st may 1927 received the Bishop's ordination. In the parish home of Holy Theresa in Subotica there has been placed the Bishop's office: Spiritual district of Backa. In 1936 the first synod of Apostolic Administrative has been held, when the Statute book of Backa was published. With it's effort more new Churches were built as well as Roman-Catholic seminary, while the number of spiritual professions were incredibly raising. The Roman-Catholic seminary named Paulinum was established. During the World War II Apostolic Administrative of Backa fell again under the jurisdiction of Archbishop of Kalaca, but as an independent administrative. That was the time which Bishop Budanovic spent in prison and in internment in Budapest. After the war Bishop Budanovic is again the head of the Apostolic Administrative of Backa. He experienced the persecution of Germans, which caused the loss of at least the third of Backa's believers. Many Churches stayed both without believers and priests. Overpowered more by his work that by his age Bishop Budanovic died on 16th March 1958 and was buried in Cathedral of Subotica before the altar of Sainted Virgin Mary.

Diocese of Subotica

In 1956 Matija Zvekanovic was ordinate for accessory Bishop, who in 1958, after the death of Bishop Lajco Budanovic, took over the administration of Apostolic Administration of Backa. New administrator continued the work of his predecessor. In his time there were also founded new parishes, built new Churches, and the new Roman-Catholic seminary named Paulinum was built as well as the priests' home Josefinum. For the priests' vacation he gave orders of arranging and putting in order the island of Holy Juries near Perast in Boka Kotorska. On 25th January 1968 the Holy Father Paul VI established on the territory of Apostolic Administrative of Backa the new Diocese named Diocese of Subotica and placed Matija Zvekanovic for the first Bishop of Subotica. He was at the head of Diocese until 16th May 1989 when John Paul II named as a new Bishop of Subotica mons. Janos Penzes. New Bishop took over the Diocese on 18th Jun of the same year. Bishop Matija Zvekanovic died on 24th April 1991, and was buried in newly-raised Bishop's crypt in Cathedral of Subotica before the former altar of Holy Joseph. The head-quarters of Diocese in Subotica, the Cathedral stayed the parish Church of Holy Theresa in Subotica. The patron of Diocese of Subotica is Holy Paul the Apostle. The Diocese of Subotica counts around 350.000 believers. Number of believers has greatly reduced after the Former Yugoslavia had fallen apart. Majority of believers of Subotica is of Hungarian nationality. Judging by the numbers the second place is reserved by Croats, and minority represent Germans, Slovaks and other nationalities. Those are the languages in which the liturgy is held. Priest candidates are trained in Roman-Catholic seminary Paulinum (grammar school), while the theological studies are heard in Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia and Italy. In Diocese of Subotica there is also active the Theological-catechetical Institute with branches on Hungarian and Croat language. At the Institute studies are taken by future catechists, pastoral co-workers and deacons. In the Diocese works more than 80 priests and 5 regular deacons. In Subotica, Bac and Novi Sad there are Franciscans, and in Sombor Carmelites. In the Diocese region work also the nuns of 4 orders or congregations. They count the number of about one hundred. Also in the region of Diocese of Subotica there are numerous parishes of Diocese of Krizevo with Greek-Catholic believers mostly of Ruthenian, but also of Ukrainian language.
When on 19th December 1986 Pope John Paul II established the Church province of Belgrade the Dioceses of Subotica and Zrenjanin fell under it's jurisdiction as suffragan Dioceses. The first Archbishop metropoly was in Rome, Dr. Franc Perko, who was ordinated on 6th January 1987. his successor is Archbishop Dr. Stanislav Hocevar from 16th April 2001.

Text:
Msgr. Stjepan Beretic

ARCHBISHOPS OF
BAC AND KALOCA (KALOCA AND BAC)

Astricus O.S.B. (1000-1015)
Georgius I. (1050-?)
Desiderius (1075-1093)
Fabianus, Archiepiscopus Bachiensis (1094-?)
Ugolinus (1103-?)
Paulus I. (1111)
Fulbertus (1111-?)
Gregorius I. (1124-?)
Fancica, translatus e Zagreb ad Bach (1131-1134)
Simon, tr. e Quinqueeccl. (1135-?)
Muchia, tr. e Quinqueeccl. (1142-1149)
Miko (1149-1165)
Sayna (1167-?)
Cosmas (1169-?)
Andreas I. (1176-1186)
Stephanus I. (1187-?)
Paulus II., electus Archiep. Colocensis (1189-1190)
Petrus I. Filius Chitilen (de genere Kán, tr. e Split (Spalato) (1190)
Saul de genere Geur, tr. e Csanád (1192-1202)
Joannes I. (de Merania), tr. ad Sedem Archiepiscopalem Strigoniensem (1202-1205)
Bertholdus de Andechs et Merania, tr. ad Patriarchatum Aquileiensem (1206-1218)
Ugrinus de gen. Chak (1219-1241)
Benedictus, tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigo. (1241-1254)
Thomas I. de genere Buzád (1255-1256)
Smaragdus de Sambok (1257-1265)
Stephanus II. de gen. Bancha (1266-1278)
Joannes II. de Gimes de gen. de Hunt-Paznan (1278-1301)
Stephanus III. (1302-1305)
Vincentius de genere Chak (1305-1312)
Demetrius de Vichodol praepos. Coloc. elect. non conf. (1312-1317)
Ladislaus I. de Jank O.F.M. (1317-1337)
Ladislaus II. de Kabol, tr. e Zagreb (1342-1345)
Stephanus IV. Büki de Harkach, tr. e Vesprim (1345-1349)
Nicolaus I. Szügyi, tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigon. (1349-1350)
Dionysius Laczkfy de gen. German, tr. e Zagreb (1350-1355)
Nicolaus II. de Garamkeszi, tr. e Zagreb, transl. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigon (1356 -1358)
Thomas II. de Thelegd de gen. Chanad, tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigon (1358-1367)
Stephanus V. de Frankló O. F. Aug., tr. e Nitria (1367-1382)
Ludovicus I. de Helfenstein (1383-1391)
Nicolaus III. Bubek de Pelseöcz (1391-1399)
Sedes vacat (1399-1401)
Joannes III. De Scepus, et tr. Zagreb (1401-1403)
Chrysogonus de Dominis O. F. M., tr. e Tragurio (1404-1408)
Nicolaus IV. de Corbavia (1408-1410)
Branda Ep. Placentinus, administrator (1410-1413)
Andreas II. de Benciis de Gualdo, transl. ad Sedem Archiep. Sedun (1413-1431)
Carniarus de Ssholaribus adm. (1420-1423)
Joannes IV. de Boundelmontibus O.S.B. Administrator Archiepiscopus (1431-1448)
Sedes vacat (1448-1450)
Raphael Herczegh de Zekcheö, tr. e Bosnia(1450-1456)
Stephanus VI. de Varda, Cardinalis (1457-1471)
Gabriel I. de Matuchina (1471-1477)
Georgius II. de Hando (1478-1480)
Petrus II. de Varadino (1481-1501)
Ladislaus III. Gereb de Wingard, tr. e Transsylvania (1501-1503)
Gregorius II. Frangepan de Cetina, tr. e Vespr. (1503-1520)
Sedes vacat (1520-1523)
Paulus III. Tomory OFM (1523-1526)
Sedes vacat (1526-1530)
Franciscus I. Frangepan de Cetina OFM dm. Agrien (1530-1543)
Sedes vacat (1587-1596)
Paulus IV. Gregorianec, adm. Jaurin (1565)
Sedes vacat (1565-1572)
Georgius III. Draškovic de Trakošcan, Card., adm Jaurin (1573-1587)
Sedes vacat (1587-1596)
Joannes V. Kutassy, adm. Jaurin., tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigoniensem (1596-1597)
Sedes vacat (1597-1600)
Martinus Pethe de Hetes, adm. Jaurin. (1600-1607)
Stephanus VII. Szuhay de Szuhafö, tr. ex Agria (1607)
Demetrius Napragy de ead., adm. Jaurin. (1608-1619)
Valentinus Lépes de Váraskeszi, adm. Jaurin (1619-1623)
Joannes VI. Telegdy de ead., adm. Nitr. (1623-1647)
Sedes vacat (1647-1649)
Joannes VII. Püski, adm. Vacien. (1649-1657)
Georgius IV. Szelepcsényi de Pohronc, adm Nitr., tr. ad Sed. Archiep. Strigon. (1657-1666)
Petrus III. Petretic, tr. e Zagreb (1667)
Georgius V. Széchényi de Sárvár et Felsovidek, adm. Jaurin (1668-1685)
Joannes VIII. Gubassóczy, adm. Nitrien. (1685-1686)
Martinus II. Borkovic O. S. Pauli Er., tr. e Zagreb (1686-1687)
Sedes vacat (1687-1691)
Leopoldus I. Comes Kollonitz de Collegrad (Kolonic od Kolograda), Cardin, adm Jaurin., tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigoniens. (1691-1695)
Paulus V. Széchény de Sárvár et Felsovidek, adm. Vesprim (1696-1710)
Emericus e Com. Cháky de Keresszegh, Card., adm. M. Varadinen. (1710-1732)
Gabriel II. Hermanus Comes Patarcic de Zajezda, tr. e Sirmio (1733-1745)
Sedes vacat (1745-1747)
Nicolaus V. e Com. Csáky de Keresszegh, tr. M. Varad., tr. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigoni (1747-1751)
Franciscus II. e Com Klobusiczky de Zetény, translatus e Zagreb (1751-1760)
Josephus I. e Com Batthyán de Német-Ujvár, tr. e Transsylv.; transl. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigon. (1760-1776)
Adamus L. B. Patarcic de Zajezda, tr. e M. Varad. (1776-1784)
Sedes vacat (1784-1787)
Ladislaus e Com. Kollonitz de Kollegrád et Zay-Ugrócz, tr. e M. Varad. (1787-1817)
Sedes vacat (1817-1822)
Petrus IV. Klobusiczky de ead., tr. e Szatmár (1822-1843)
Sedes vacat (1843-1845)
Franciscus III. De Paula Com. Nádasdy, tr. e Vac (1845-1851)
Josephus II. Kunszt, tr. e Cassovia (1854-1866)
Josephus III. Lonovics de Krivina, Ep. Amasien (1866-1867)
Ludovicus II. Haynald Card AEp. Carth. (1867-1891)
Georgius VI. Csázka, tr. e Scepus (1891-1904)
Julius I. Városy de Veszprim, tr. ex Albaregal (1905-1910)
Joannes IX. Csernoch Card., tr. e Csanád; transl. ad Sedem Archiep. Strigoniensem (1911-1913)
Leopoldus II. árpád Várady, tr. e Jaur. (1914-1923)

The Apostolic Administration of Bac is founded

Ludovicus Budanovic, episc. tit. Cisamensis, administrator apost. Backaensis (1923-1958)
Matija Zvekanovic, ep. tit. Burcensis et adm. ap. (1958-1968),

The Diocese of Subotica is founded

Papa Pavao VI, with "Praeclarissima Pauli" 25th January 1968 founded the Diocese of Subotica.

Matija Zvekanovic, first Bishop of Subotica (1968-1989)
Ioannes dr. Pénzes episc. suboticanus (1989- )