Military Ordinariate of Slovakia

The Military Ordinariate of Slovakia (Slovak: Vojenský ordinariát) is a Latin military ordinariate of the Roman Catholic Church for the Slovak armed forces.

Military Ordinariate of Slovakia Vojenský ordinariát
Coat of Arms of the Military Ordinariate of Slovakia
Location
Country	Slovakia
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	20 January 2003 (22 years ago)
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Bishop	Pavol Šajgalík
Bishops emeritus	František Rábek

It is exempt and immediately subject to the Holy See(not part of any ecclesiastical province and its Roman Congregation for Bishops).

The episcopal see is Saint Sebastian's Cathedral (Katedrála sv. Šebastiána) in the Slovak capital of Bratislava. Prior to 2009, the seat was the Trinitarian Church in the same city, formally the Cathedral of St. John of Matha and St. Felix of Valois (Katedrála sv. Jána a sv. Felixa z Valois).

History

The military ordinariate, without precursor, was established by Pope John Paul II on 20 January 2003, ten years after the country's independence by the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.

Statistics

As per 2014, it provides pastoral care to Roman Catholics serving in the Slovak Armed Forces and their families in 56 parishes with 54 priests (46 diocesan, 8 religious), 1 deacon and 8 lay religious brothers.

Military ordinaries

• František Rábek (incumbent, 20 January 2003 – 27 May 2025), previously Auxiliary Bishop of Nitra (Slovakia) (1991.07.13 – 2003.01.20) and Titular Bishop of Catrum (1991.07.13 – 2003.01.20)
• Pavol Šajgalík (incumbent, since 27 May 2025)

See also

• Catholicism portal

• List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Slovakia