| Jurisdiction: | Archdiocese |
| Ljubljana | |
| Latin: | Archiodioecesis Labacensis |
| Local: | Nadškofija Ljubljana |
| Coat: | Wappen Bistum Laibach.png |
| Country: |  Slovenia |
| Established: | 6 December 1461 |
| Rite: | Latin Rite |
| Suffragans: | Diocese of Koper Diocese of Novo Mesto |
| Cathedral: | St. Nicholas's Cathedral |
| Population: | 791,351 |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Catholics: | 553,661 |
| Catholics Percent: | 70 |
| Metro Archbishop: | Stanislav Zore |
| Bishop Title: | Archbishop |
| Emeritus Bishops: | Anton Stres |
| Website: | Website of the Archdiocese |
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana (Slovenian: Nadškofija Ljubljana, Latin: Archidioecesis Labacensis) is a Latin ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Slovenia.[1] [2]
The archdiocese's motherchurch and thus seat of its archbishop is the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Ljubljana; it also contains minor basilicas in Brezje and Stična. Since November 2014, the Archbishop of Ljubljana, and thus Primate of Slovenia, has been Stanislav Zore. He was appointed by Pope Francis on 4 October 2014 and succeeded Anton Stres.[3] [4] Anton Stres, who was appointed Archbishop of Ljubljana by Pope Benedict XVI on 28 November 2009, resigned in July 2013 due to his involvement in the financial fiasco of the Archdiocese of Maribor.[5]
An ancient diocese of Emona was founded in 320 but in the seventh century the see was transferred on the coast of Istria in the city of Cittanova to form a new diocese.
From 811, the territory of the Ljubljana Archdiocese was part of the ecclesiastical territory of the Patriarch of Aquileia. Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, erected on 6 December 1461 the Diocese of Laibach, which was confirmed six months later, on 6 September 1462, by Pope Pius II.[6] Several days later, it was taken from the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Aquileia and made directly subject to the Holy See. On 3 March 1787, it became an archdiocese and a metropolis, which it remained until 1807, when it was for political reasons degraded to a common diocese.[7]
The Nazi persecution of the Church in annexed Slovenia was akin to that which occurred in Poland. Within six weeks of the Nazi occupation, only 100 of the 831 priests in the Diocese of Maribor and part of the Diocese of Ljubljana remained free. Clergy were persecuted and sent to concentration camps, while religious orders had their properties seized.[8]
The diocese was again elevated to an archdiocese by Pope John XXIII on 22 December 1961, and to a metropolis by Pope Paul VI on 22 November 1968. Today the archdiocese has two suffragan sees, Koper (since 1977) and Novo Mesto (since 2006). It is the principal see of Slovenia; one living former archbishop, Franc Rode, CM, was promoted to a Curial office (Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life) and made a Cardinal.[9]