Ján Babjak
The Most Reverend Ján Babjak, S.J. | |
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Archbishop of Prešov | |
![]() Ján Babjak in 2012 | |
Church | Slovak Greek Catholic Church |
Diocese | Archeparchy of Prešov |
See | Prešov |
In office | 2003 - present |
Predecessor | Ján Hirka |
Successor | incumbent |
Orders | |
Ordination | June 11, 1978 |
Consecration |
January 6, 2003 by Pope John Paul II |
Personal details | |
Born |
Hažín nad Cirochou, Czechoslovakia (present day Slovakia) | October 28, 1953
Motto | You are the temple of the living God |
Coat of arms |
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Ján Babjak, S.J. Archbishop and Metropolitan of Prešov (October 28, 1953, Hažín Cirochou above) is Prešov residential archieparch and the highest representative of the Greek Catholic Metropolitan Church in Slovakia.
Early life and studies
After studying at the Bratislava seminary was ordained a priest on 11 June 1978 in Presov. His pastoral service performed as a chaplain in Prešov from 1978 to 1983. In August 1983 he began work as a parish administrator in the Ľubica Kežmarok.
On 18 June 1987, he secretly joined the Society of Jesus. From 1989 to 1990 he was the Prefect of the Seminary of St. Cyril and Methodius University in Bratislava. In 1990 he became pastor of the Greek Catholic parish in Bratislava, where he served one year. From 1991 to 1993 he studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he received a licentiate of spirituality.
Society of Jesus
After his return to Slovakia in 1993 and 1994, he was responsible for the retreat house of the Society of Jesus St. Ignatius in Presov. In 1994 he returned to Rome, where he worked in the Slovak Radio and the Vatican department in addition, he studied spirituality from which in 1996 at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, defended his doctoral thesis on "P. Michal Lacko - teacher formatter and Greek Catholics."
From 1996 until now served as director of works include the Society of Jesus called "Center of Spirituality East-West, P. Michael Lack, SJ " also lectured on Eastern spirituality Faculty of Theology in Bratislava. As eparch Presov eparchy took place on 79 year Mons. The Day of John, who handled the role of the Eparchy of Presov ordinary and apostolic administrator of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia since 1968.
Named bishop
In December 11, 2002, Pope John Paul II named him the first Bishop of Presov, being consecrated the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome in January 6, 2003 together with John Paul II, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, substitute of the Secretariat of State from Vatican and Archbishop Mario Antonio Veglio, secretary of the Congregation for Eastern Churches in Rome.
January 30, 2008 he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI Metropolitan of Presov and also promoted to the rank archeparch. A festival promotion of Greek Catholic Church in Slovakia to the metropolitan church of its rights-based in Prešov and the enthronement of the first Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan Ján Babjak, SJ, took place on Sunday 17 February 2008 in the city hall in Prešov.