The
Roman Catholic Diocese of Graz-Seckau {
Latin:
Seccovien(sis)} is a
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical province in
Austria, founded in 1218. It is a suffragan of the
archdiocese of Salzburg.
History
The See of Seckau was founded by Archbishop Eberhard II of Salzburg, with the permission of pope
Honorius III, on 22 June 1218, as suffragan of Salzburg.
Emperor Frederick II gave his consent on 26 October 1218 and conferred on the incumbent of the see the dignity of
prince of the Roman Empire. The first bishop was Provost Karl von Friesach (1218-30).
Under Habsburg
Emperor Joseph II, the diocese was reorganized and its territory enlarged. The original intention of the emperor, to establish an archbishopric at Graz, was frustrated by the opposition of the
Archbishop of Salzburg.
In 1786, however, the residence of the prince-bishop was transferred from Seckau to
Graz, the capital of Styria, but the name of the diocese remained unchanged. A new
cathedral chapter was installed at Graz, composed at first of three dignitaries and four canons. The see included thenceforth the Salzburg territory in Styria; at the same time a new diocese, the
Diocese of Leoben, was created for
Upper Styria. After the death of the first and only Bishop of Leoben, the administration of this see was entrusted in 1808 to the bishops of Seckau. The limits of Seckau are due to a regulation of 1859, incorporating the Diocese of Leoben into that of Seckau, while Seckau ceded Southern Styria with its (chiefly) Slovenian population to the
Diocese of Lavant.
Special Churches
- Church of Göss Abbey, briefly the cathedral of the Diocese of Leoben (Dom Sankt Maria und Andreas): parish church; former abbey church and former cathedral
- Church of Rein Abbey: abbey church and minor basilica
Leadership
- Bishops of Graz-Seckau (Roman rite):
- * Bishop Egon Kapellari (since 2001.03.14)
- Bishops of Seckau (Roman rite):
- * Archbishop Josef Schoiswohl (1954.01.18 – 1963.04.22)
- * Cardinal Maximilian Gandolph von Künburg (1665.02.07 – 1668.07.30)
See also
Source
category:Roman Catholic dioceses in AustriaCategory:Religious organizations established in the 1210sCategory:1218 establishmentsCategory:Roman Catholic dioceses established in the 13th centuryde:Diözese Graz-Seckauit:Diocesi di Graz-Seckauno:Graz-Seckau bispedømme 
