Roman Catholic Diocese of Gurk

The Diocese of Gurk (Latin Dioecesis Gurcensis, Slovenian Krška Škofija, now acting as the diocese of Gurk - Klagenfurt and Carinthia Catholic Church ) is a Roman Catholic diocese, which belongs to the Ecclesiastical Province of Salzburg ( Austria ). The bishop's seat is located in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. Their territory now includes the province of Carinthia. The southern part of the diocesan territory is settled next to a German-speaking majority and of Carinthian Slovenes. For this reason, the central diocesan structures in two languages ​​( German, Slovenian) are created. For example, there are next to the Kärntner Kirchenzeitung also a counterpart in Slovenian, the Nedelja ( Sunday). In 69 parishes in southern Carinthia Slovenian besides German liturgical language.

History

The diocese was founded in 1072 as the first of the Salzburg Eigenbistümer. Seat of the bishop was Gurk in Carinthia. As a material basis was a derelict by Archbishop Gebhard Convent ( pin Gurk ) that had once instituted the Countess Hemma of Gurk. Hemma is therefore regarded as one of the founders of the diocese. The first bishop was consecrated by Günther Krappfeld. Gurk bishop should be full of Salzburg dependent and act for the Archbishop as a vicar. Only in 1131 was the allocation of a small diocese. Through large-scale falsification of documents was trying to get out of the clutches of Salzburg, but failed. A lengthy process around the diocese was held at the Council of Basel.

Seat of the Bishops of Gurk was for centuries the castle Strasbourg ( until 1783 ), then for a short time lock Pöckstein. In the context of Joseph's church reforms of the bishopric in 1787 moved to Klagenfurt and significantly increased the diocese: from Salzburg, 96, ceded by 56 Gorizia, Ljubljana 5 and Lavant a parish. As of 1859 Lavanter bishopric was moved to Maribor, the Lavant Valley came to the diocese of Gurk; since then cover the diocesan boundaries Gurks with those of the federal state of Carinthia.

Become known about the history of the Church is also of the Gurk bishops especially Cardinal Franz Xaver von Salm- II Reifferscheidt Herb Home, organizer of the first ascent of the Grossglockner. Balthasar Kaltner was the last Bishop of Gurk, who spoke as Virilist in the Carinthian parliament.

Gallery

Diocese of Arms

Diocesan Holy

The patron saint of Carinthia is the Saint Joseph (March 19 ), the patron saint of the diocese is John the Baptist ( 24 June), the Holy Hemma of Gurk (27 June ) is the mother of the nation.