Boļeslavs Sloskāns
Encyclopedia
Boļeslavs Sloskāns was a Latvian Roman Catholic bishop
. He was born 31 August 1893 near Stirniene and died on 18 April 1981 in Leuven
, Belgium
.
In 1911 Boļeslavs Sloskāns entered the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy
, Russia
. He was ordained priest
for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mohilev
by Bishop Jan Cieplak
on 21 January 1917 in St. Petersburg. He then served as a parish priest in Russia for several years. He even renounced Latvian citizenship so that he could remain in Russia after Latvian independence. After Bishop Cieplak was appointed archbishop of Vilnius on 14 December 1925, Fr. Sloskāns was appointed bishop on 5 May 1926.
He was ordained titular bishop
of Cillium in secret by Bishop Michel d'Herbigny
, S.J.
on 10 May 1926 in Moscow
. Bishop Aleksander Frison was also ordained during the same secret ceremony. On 13 August 1926 Bishop Sloskāns was appointed apostolic administrator
of the Archdiocese of Mohilev
as well as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Minsk
. On the same day he assisted Bishop d'Herbigny in the ordination of Antoni Malecki as titular bishop of Dionysiana and apostolic administrator for Leningrad.
On 17 September 1927 Bishop Sloskāns was arrested in Minsk by the Soviet
authorities. He was then sentenced to three years in prison based on false evidence. He was released in October 1930 after completing his sentence. On 8 November 1930 he was arrested again just one week after arriving back in Mohilev. He served an additional two years in prison until he was repatriated to Latvia
on 22 January 1933 in exchange for an accused Soviet spy in the custody of the Latvian government.
Bishop Sloskāns continued to serve as the apostolic administrator of Mohilev and of Minsk in absentia
while he took charge of the Roman Catholic seminary in Riga
. In late 1944 he was evacuated to Germany
to escape the advancing Soviet army. In 1946 he moved to Belgium where he established a Latvian seminary.
On 18 November 1964 along with Latvian bishop Jāzeps Rancāns he co-consecrated Bishop Julijans Vaivods
, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Riga and of the Diocese of Liepāja. Bishop Sloskāns participated in all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
and died in 1981.
A memoir of his experiences in Soviet prison was published after his death. In 1993 his remains were transferred from Belgium to Aglona
, where they were reinterred at the basilica
there.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. He was born 31 August 1893 near Stirniene and died on 18 April 1981 in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
In 1911 Boļeslavs Sloskāns entered the Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy
Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy
The Saint Petersburg Roman Catholic Theological Academy was an institution of higher education preparing Roman Catholic theologians in the Russian Empire. The Academy granted master's and doctorate degrees in theology and was designed to prepare officers for senior positions in the Catholic Church...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He was ordained priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mohilev
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mohilev
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mohilev was a territorial division of the Roman Catholic Church, covering a significant proportion of the territory of the Russian empire....
by Bishop Jan Cieplak
Jan Cieplak
Servant of God Archbishop Jan Cieplak was a Polish Roman Catholic priest and bishop.-Early life:...
on 21 January 1917 in St. Petersburg. He then served as a parish priest in Russia for several years. He even renounced Latvian citizenship so that he could remain in Russia after Latvian independence. After Bishop Cieplak was appointed archbishop of Vilnius on 14 December 1925, Fr. Sloskāns was appointed bishop on 5 May 1926.
He was ordained titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Cillium in secret by Bishop Michel d'Herbigny
Michel d'Herbigny
Michel-Joseph Bourguignon d'Herbigny was a French Jesuit scholar and Roman Catholic bishop. He was president of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and of the Pontifical Commission for Russia...
, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
on 10 May 1926 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Bishop Aleksander Frison was also ordained during the same secret ceremony. On 13 August 1926 Bishop Sloskāns was appointed apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the Archdiocese of Mohilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
as well as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. On the same day he assisted Bishop d'Herbigny in the ordination of Antoni Malecki as titular bishop of Dionysiana and apostolic administrator for Leningrad.
On 17 September 1927 Bishop Sloskāns was arrested in Minsk by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
authorities. He was then sentenced to three years in prison based on false evidence. He was released in October 1930 after completing his sentence. On 8 November 1930 he was arrested again just one week after arriving back in Mohilev. He served an additional two years in prison until he was repatriated to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
on 22 January 1933 in exchange for an accused Soviet spy in the custody of the Latvian government.
Bishop Sloskāns continued to serve as the apostolic administrator of Mohilev and of Minsk in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
while he took charge of the Roman Catholic seminary in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. In late 1944 he was evacuated to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to escape the advancing Soviet army. In 1946 he moved to Belgium where he established a Latvian seminary.
On 18 November 1964 along with Latvian bishop Jāzeps Rancāns he co-consecrated Bishop Julijans Vaivods
Julijans Vaivods
Julijans Vaivods was the Apostolic Administrator of Riga and of Liepāja from 10 November 1964 to his death, and Cardinal Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati from 1983 to his death...
, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Riga and of the Diocese of Liepāja. Bishop Sloskāns participated in all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
and died in 1981.
A memoir of his experiences in Soviet prison was published after his death. In 1993 his remains were transferred from Belgium to Aglona
Aglona
Aglona is a village in Aglona municipality, Latvia. It is located 40 kilometers northeast of the city of Daugavpils. Aglona is famous in Latvia and beyond for its basilica — the most important Catholic church in the country — which was once visited by Pope John Paul II, and which attracts...
, where they were reinterred at the basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
there.