Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Archdiocese of Salzburg Archidioecesis Salisburgensis Erzdiözese Salzburg
Salzburger Dom
Coat of arms
Location
Country	Austria
Territory	Salzburg, Tyrol
Ecclesiastical province	Archdiocese of Salzburg
Metropolitan	Salzburg, Salzburg
Statistics
Area	9,715 km2 (3,751 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2020) 746,515 460,106 ( 61.6%)
Parishes	210
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	20 April 798
Cathedral	Cathedral of Saint Rupert and Saint Vergilius
Patron saint	Saint Rupert Saint Virgil
Secular priests	196 (diocesan) 97 (religious orders) 54 permanent deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	Franz Lackner, O.F.M.
Auxiliary Bishops	Hansjörg Hofer
Vicar General	Roland Rasser
Episcopal Vicars	Gottfried Laireiter
Emeritus Bishops	Andreas Laun, O.S.F.S. (em. auxiliary bishop)
Map
Website
kirchen.net/portal

The Archdiocese of Salzburg is a major part of the Catholic Church in Austria. It is one of two main archdioceses in the country. An archdiocese is like a large church district led by an archbishop.

Before 1803, the Archbishopric of Salzburg was a powerful state within the Holy Roman Empire. Its leader, the archbishop, also acted as a prince. This meant they had both religious and political power. In 1803, it lost its political power. The archdiocese was set up again in 1818, but only as a religious organization.

History of the Archdiocese of Salzburg

The story of Christianity in the Salzburg area goes back a very long time. The first signs of a Christian community appeared around the year 477. A priest named Maximus and his followers lived near a place called Juvavia. Sadly, they were killed by invaders.

How the Diocese of Salzburg Began

In 739, a famous missionary named Boniface helped organize the church in Bavaria. He divided the region into four church areas, called dioceses. One of these was in Salzburg. Boniface chose Joannes, the head of the Saint Peter's monastery, to be its first bishop.

For a long time, the bishops of Salzburg lived in the Saint Peter's monastery. In 774, Bishop Vigilius built a new church. He named it after Bishop Hrodpertus and moved the saint's remains there. This church became the main church, or cathedral. Later, in 1122, a separate group of priests was formed to serve the cathedral.

On April 20, 798, a big change happened. Pope Leo III, with the approval of Emperor Charlemagne, made Salzburg a metropolitan archdiocese. This meant Salzburg became the main church area for several other dioceses nearby. Bishop Arno was given a special cloth, called a pallium, which showed his new high rank.

In the 11th century, Archbishop Gebhard created a new diocese called Gurk. This was done to help manage the growing Christian population in the region.

Archbishop Adalbert and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa

Archbishop Adalbert (Vojtěch) became the leader of Salzburg in 1168. He was the son of the King of Bohemia. At that time, there was a disagreement in the church about who should be pope. Adalbert supported Pope Alexander III. However, the powerful Emperor Frederick Barbarossa supported a different pope.

This caused problems for Adalbert. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa did not like Adalbert's choice. He even invaded Salzburg's lands. The emperor tried to force the church leaders in Salzburg to choose a new archbishop. But Pope Alexander III supported Adalbert.

Eventually, Pope Alexander III removed Adalbert from his position in 1177. This was done to try and make peace with the Emperor. However, Adalbert was later given his position back in 1183. This shows how complicated the relationship between church leaders and emperors could be back then.

Popes and the See of Salzburg

In 1246, Pope Innocent IV made a rule that church leaders in Germany needed his permission to choose a new bishop. This was because many German bishops supported Emperor Frederick II, and the Pope wanted to make sure new bishops were loyal to him.

When Archbishop Eberhard of Salzburg died, the local church leaders chose Philippus. But Pope Innocent IV ignored their choice. He appointed his own person, Burcardus, as archbishop. Sadly, Burcardus died on his way to Salzburg.

The Pope then appointed Philippus as a temporary leader. However, Philippus caused many problems. He was described as behaving like a tyrant and refusing to follow the Pope's orders. Finally, in 1256, the new pope, Pope Alexander IV, allowed the church in Salzburg to choose a new archbishop. They chose Ulrich, the Bishop of Seckau. After some disagreements, Pope Alexander IV confirmed Ulrich as the new Archbishop of Salzburg in 1257.

Church Meetings (Synods)

Throughout history, archbishops held important meetings called synods. These meetings brought together church leaders to discuss rules and important matters. For example, Archbishop Arno held synods in 799 and 807. Later, in 1569, Archbishop Johann Jakob von Kuen-Belasy led a provincial synod.

Dioceses Connected to Salzburg

The Archdiocese of Salzburg is the main church area for several other dioceses. These are called suffragan dioceses. They work together under the leadership of the Archbishop of Salzburg.

• Feldkirch
• Graz–Seckau
• Gurk
• Innsbruck

Leaders of the Archdiocese of Salzburg

Over many centuries, many important religious leaders have guided the Archdiocese of Salzburg.

Early Bishops of Salzburg (before 798)

• Hrodbertus (Ruprecht) (around 698 – 718)
• Vitalis
• Erkenfried
• Ottokar
• Flobrigis
• Johann I
• Virgil of Salzburg (around 745 or 767 – 784)

Archbishops of Salzburg (798–1213)

• Arno (785–821)
• Adalram (821–836)
• Leutram (836–859)
• Adalwin (859–873)
• Adalbert I (873)
• Dietmar (I) (873–907)
• Pilgrim (907–923)
• Adalbert (II) (923–935)
• Egilholf (935–939)
• Herhold (939–958)
• Friedrich (I) (958–991)
• Hartwig (991–1023)
• Günther (1024–1025)
• Dietmar (II) (1025–1041)
• Baldwin (1041–1060)
• Gebhard (1060–1088)
• Thiemo (1090–1101)
• Konrad von Abensberg (1106–1147)
• Eberhard von Hilpolstein-Biburg (1147–1164)
• Konrad (II) of Austria (1164–1168)
• Adalbert III of Bohemia (1168–1177)
• Conrad von Wittelsbach (1177–1183)
• Adalbert III of Bohemia (restored) (1183–1200)

Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg (1213–1803)

These archbishops also held political power as princes.

From 1213 to 1400

• Eberhard of Regensburg (1200–1246)
• Bruccardus of Ziegenhain (1247)
• Philipp of Carinthia (1247–1256)
• Ulrich of Sekau (1256–1265)
• Ladislaus of Salzburg (1265–1270)
• Frederick II of Walchen (1270–1284)
• Rudolf of Hoheneck (1284–1290)
• Conrad von Vonstorff (Breitenfurt) (1291–1312)
• Weichard of Pollheim (1312–1315)
• Frederick (III) von Leibnitz (1315–1338)
• Henry of Pirnbrunn (1338–1343)
• Ordulf of Wiesseneck (1343–1365)
• Pilgrim von Puchheim (1365–1396)
• Gregor Schenk von Osterwitz (1396–1403)

From 1400 to 1803

• Berthold von Wehingen (1404–1406)
• Eberhard von Neuhaus (1406–1427)
• Eberard von Starhemberg (1427–1429)
• Johann von Reisberg (1429–1441)
• Friedrich Truchseß von Emmerberg (1441–1452)
• Sigmund von Volkersdorf (1452–1461)
• Burkhard von Weißpriach (1461–1466)
• Bernhard von Rohr (1466–1487)
• Johann Beckenschlager (1487–1489)
• Friedrich Graf von Schaumberg (1489–1494)
• Sigmund von Hollenegg (1494–1495)
• Leonhard von Keutschach, C.R.S.A. (1495–1519)
• Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg (1519–1540)
• Michael von Kuenburg (1554–1560)
• Johann Jakob von Kuen-Belasy (1560–1586)
• Georg von Kuenburg (1586–1587)
• Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (1587–1612)
• Markus Sittikus von Hohenems (1612–1619)
• Paris von Lodron (1618–1653)
• Guidobald Reichsgraf von Thun (1654–1668)
• Maximilian Gandolf Reichsgraf von Kuenburg (1668–1687)
• Johann Ernst Reichsgraf von Thun (1687–1709)
• Franz Anton Fürst von Harrach zu Rorau (1709–1727)
• Leopold Anton Eleutherius Reichsfreiherr von Firmian (1727–1744)
• Jakob Ernst Graf von Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn (1745–1747)
• Andreas Jakob Reichsgraf von Dietrichstein (1747–1753)
• Sigismund Christoph von Schrattenbach (1753–1771)
• Hieronymus Colloredo von Wallsee und Mels (1772–1812)

Archbishops (from 1823)

After 1803, the archbishops no longer held political power.

• Augustin Johann Joseph Gruber (1823–1835)
• Friedrich Johann Joseph Cölestin zu von Schwarzenberg (1836–1850)
• Maximilian Joseph von Tarnóczy (1851–1876)
• Franz de Paula Albert Eder, O.S.B. (1876–1890)
• Johannes Evangelist Haller (1890–1900)
• Johannes Baptist Katschthaler (1900–1914)
• Balthasar Kaltner (1914–1918)
• Ignaz Rieder (1918–1934)
• Sigismund Waitz (1934–1941)
• Andreas Rohracher (1943–1969)
• Eduard Macheiner (1969–1972)
• Karl Berg (1973–1988)
• Georg Eder (1989–2002)
• Alois Kothgasser, S.D.B. (2002–2013)
• Franz Lackner, O.F.M. (2013–present)

Images for kids

• 

  Archbishop Franz Lackner OFM