Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ispahan
The Archdiocese of Isfahan (Latin: Archidioecesis Hispahanensis Latinorum ) based in Tehran is responsible for the spiritual care of Roman Catholic Christians in Iran. This is in addition to a few local Catholics of the Latin Rite predominantly living in Iran foreigners. The majority of Iranian Catholics belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church, but there are also a diocese of the Armenian Catholics.
Precursor in the 14th century
The Roman Catholic presence in Iran has always been a function of the relations between the papacy and Iranian rulers. A Roman Catholic Diocese of Iran was first founded in 1318 Soltanije, which was then the capital of the Ilkhanate in Iran. After the death of Abusaid Bahador Khan 1335 Ilchane broke off the relationship with Rome.
Diocese of Isfahan
A foundation was made in 1629 in Isfahan ( Esfahan neuiranisch, latin mostly Ispahan ), the then capital of the Safavids and was under the rule of Safi I, the successor of Abbas the Great d ..
The following occupations were each only possible with longer interruptions: 1693-1708 (Elias Mutton ) and 1716-1731 ( Barnabas Fedeli ).
Based in Urmia
A new appointment, there was again only in 1896 with the Lazaristenmissionar François Lesné who sat though in Urmia. His successor, Jacques -Emile Sontag resided as archbishop until his death in 1918 in the western Iranian city which was the center of the Assyrians and Chaldeans Catholic in Iran.
Tehran-based
When, under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1974 a new appointment is made, the choice fell on the acting in Tehran Irish Dominicans Kevin William Barden, who still resided as archbishop in the capital. After he was expelled in 1980 at the beginning of the Iranian revolution in the country, it took back nine years, until 1989, the current Archbishop Ignazio Bedini was appointed.