An exarchate is the initial stage of an eparchy (the equivalent of a diocese in the Latin rites), which is exempt (i.e. not part of an ecclesiastical province but directly subject to the Holy See). The exarchate is governed by a bishop who has the same rights as a diocesan bishop.
According to the 2011 census, there were 9,927 Byzantine Catholics in the Czech Republic.[2] In July 2016 according to the Statistics from the Annuario Pontificio 2016 compiled by Ron Roberson there is a combined Byzantine or Constantinopolitan Tradition (“Greek Catholic”) count of 7,677,373 for which the Ruthenian Apostolic Exarchate in the Czech Republic in Prague makes up 17,000 of.[3] Currently there are 20 parishes and 12 chapels organized into seven deaneries and served by 25 priests.
Additionally, significant proportion of believers are workers and refugees from Ukraine.[4]
List of Apostolic Exarchs
The following is a list of the hierarchs of the Apostolic Exarchate and their terms of service: