Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Protection of Mary of Phoenix

Eparchy of the Holy Protection of Mary of Phoenix Eparchia Sanctae Mariae a Patrocinio in urbe Phoenicensi
Saint Stephen Cathedral in Phoenix
Location
Country	United States
Territory	Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington
Metropolitan	William C. Skurla
Statistics
Population - Catholics	(as of 2010) 2,561
Parishes	19
Information
Denomination	Byzantine Catholic Church
Rite	Byzantine
Established	December 3, 1981 (35 years ago)
Cathedral	St. Stephen Cathedral
Patron saint	Holy Protection of Mary
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	John Stephen Pazak
Vicar General	Stephen Washko
Map
Website
www.eparchyofphoenix.org

The Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (formerly known as the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys) (Latin: Eparchia Vannaisensis) is the Catholic eparchy (diocese) governing most Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in the western United States. Its headquarters are at 8105 North 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. The current bishop is the Most Reverend John Stephen Pazak.

The Eparchy's territorial jurisdiction consists of thirteen Western States. Churches are presently located in the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. It is a suffragan of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Currently, Holy Protection Eparchy of Phoenix has 19 parishes and one mission under its canonical jurisdiction. Most parishes follow the Ruthenian recension, although the eparchy includes one parish of the Italo-Greek tradition.

The creation of a new eparchy for the western United States was proposed by the metropolitan Council of Hierarchs in 1981. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches a dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Holy See, recommended the erection of a new eparchy, and it was approved by Pope John Paul II.