The Armenian Rite Archdiocese of Lviv in Light of the Archdiocesan Schema from 1939

Abstract

Diocesan schema constitute a valuable source of knowledge on various ecclesial, diocesan or monastic communities. These important publications were also drafted for Eastern Rite Catholic Churches. One of the most interesting documents, albeit largely unknown, is the Armenian Rite Archdiocese of Lviv schema prepared in 1939, currently stored within the Archdiocese Archive in Gniezno. The information contained within this document reference the period directly preceding the start of the Second World War, which for the Armenian Rite Archdiocese of Lviv was a time of sede vacante after the death of Archbishop Józef Teodorowicz. Thanks to data contained within the schema, it is possible to recreate an image of the Armenian Rite Archdiocese of Lviv, which in 1939 was divided into 3 deanaries (Lviv, Stanisławów and Kuck), 8 territorial parishes and 1 personal parish (for the military in Łowicz). It consisted of ca. 5300 followers and 25 clergymen, of which 17 worked directly as priests. The schema additionally supplies a lot of information related to rich Armenian history and culture, their input with regards to propagating education in the Eastern borderlands and to aiding those in need.