The Administration of the Catholic Church in Iceland

The Catholic Church is a universal church, led by the pope and the bishops. In addition to being the supreme spiritual leader of the Church, the Pope is the head of the world’s smallest independent state, the Vatican, located within the city limits of Rome.

Usually, each diocese is led by a bishop who manages the daily operation of the diocese but is subject to the authority of the Holy See. The Catholic Church in Iceland is one diocese. The Episcopal Center is in Landakot in Reykjavík and the Episcopal Church (Cathedral) is the Christ Church in Landakot. This church is also the “Basilica” or the main church, the only one in the Nordic countries.

In the Reykjavik Diocese are eight parishes: Christ the King Parish, St. John the Apostle Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Joseph Parish, St. Peter Parish, St. Thorlak parish, Parish of St. John Paul II and Francis of Assisi Parish.

Frans páfi

THE HOLY FATHER

The Diocese of Reykjavík belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. The head of the Catholic Church is His Holiness Pope Francis. Pope Francis was born December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires and baptized Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was ordained a priest December 13, 1969, appointed Cardinal February 21, 2001, elected pope March 13, 2013 and placed in the office of Bishop of Rome on March 19, 2013.

His Holiness, Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
www.vatican.va

APOSTOLIC NUNCIO OF THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

In the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden ) is the ambassador of Pope, Nuntius apostolicus, with residence in Stockholm. Now Mons. Julio Murat occupies the office.

Mons. Murat was born on August 18, 1961 in Izmir, Turkey and is the former ambassador of the Holy See in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.

The Most Reverend Mgr. Julio Murat
Tel. (+46) 8 446 51 10
Svalnäsvägen 10. SE-182 63 Djursholm, Sweden
nunciature@telia.com

David B. TEncer OFMCap. biskup

THE BISHOP OF REYKJAVIK

The diocese of Reykjavík is headed by Dávid Bartimej Tencer, O.F.M.Cap. He was born on May 18, 1963 at Nová Baňa. Ordained priest on July 15, 1986 in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, for the diocese of Banská Bystrica, he was supply parish priest at Hriňova and later curate priest at Zvolen. He became parish administrator in Sklenné Teplice in 1989 and in 1990 in Podkonice.

He asked his bishop to release him so that he could enter the Capuchin Order and in 1990 he started his novitiate. He made his first religious profession on 1991 at Podkonice. In 1992 he began his studies of Franciscan spirituality at Antonianum in Rome which he finished with a license in theology in 1994. He made solemn profession in the Church of Nativity on August 28, 1994 of Saint John Baptist in Kremnické Bane – Johanesberg.

After his return from Rome he was parish administrator in Holíč, master of Postulants and member of provincial’s council. In 1996 he was transferred to Rat icov vrch at Hriňova, as superior in this convent until 2003 and till 2000 still master of postulates. Starting from the scholastic year 2001/02 till 2004 he taught homiletics in the Seminary in Badin and spiritual theology. As superior of the fraternity in Žilina in 2003 until 2004 he was teaching spiritual theology in the Institute of Saint Thomas of Aquin in Žilina.

He came to Iceland in 2004 and was appointed curate in Stella Maris parish in Reykjavik and started to learn Icelandic. In 2007 he was appointed parish priest in St. Thorlac parish in Reyðarfjörður. He was also a member of the Presbyteral Council and of the Collegium Consultorum of the Diocese of Reykjavik, before he was chosen as Bishop of Reykjavik.

The Most Reverend Bishop
David B. Tencer O.F.M.Cap.
Tel: 5525388 & 8978563
biskup@catholica.is