Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia

The Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia is a Roman Catholic Latin apostolic vicariate in the eastern half of Anatolia.
The missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction is not part of any ecclesiastical province. It is under the direction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, an unusual structure for a Latin see, and directly dependent on the Holy See.
Its cathedral seat is the Marian Cathedral of the Annunciation in İskenderun. It has the Co-Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua in Mersin as well.

History

Established originally on 13 March 1845 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Trabzon, named for its location on the Black Sea, not for any preceding jurisdiction.
Suppressed on 12 September 1896, with its territory merged into the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of İzmir in western Anatolia.
Restored on 20 June 1931 as the Mission sui iuris of Trabzon, its territory taken from the Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople.
Promoted on 30 November 1990 as the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, led by a titular bishop.

As of 2020, the vicariate, which covers 450k square kilometers, had six parishes and two missions to serve a thousand Turkish Christians as well as Christian refugees from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

;Apostolic Prefects of Trabzon

Michele da Capodistria, OFMCap
Giovanni Giannetti da Fivizzano, OFMCap
Prospero Germini da Ospitaletto, OFMCap
Michele Salardi da Novellara, OFMCap
Giuseppe Germano Bernardini, OFMCap
* When Bernardini became archbishop of İzmir in 1983, he continued here as apostolic administrator.

;Apostolic Vicars of Anatolia

* Bernardini continued as apostolic administrator when the vicariate was erected on 30 November 1990
Ruggero Franceschini, OFMCap
Luigi Padovese, OFMCap
* Franceschini returned as apostolic administrator
Paolo Bizzeti, SJ
* Antuan Ilgit SJ, apostolic administrator