John Bukovsky
Encyclopedia
Archbishop John Bukovsky SVD, (18 January 1924 18 December 2010) was a naturalized United States citizen, born in Cerova-Lieskové, Slovakia
, and a Vatican
diplomat; he was a member of the Society of the Divine Word since 1950. He was ordained as a priest on 3 December 1950 in Techny, Illinois
. Priest of Divine Word Missionaries
. He was Ordained Titular Archbishop of Tabalta in August 1990. He was the Apostolic Nuncio
in Romania
from 1990 - 1994. In 1994, he became the first Apostolic Delegate to the Russian Federation. Archbishop Bukovsky could said to have achieved some significant successes in Russia. For example, through adroit negotiations with the mayor of St. Petersburg, he succeeded in regaining partial control of the former seminary in St. Petersburg. Archbishop Bukovsky retired in January 2000, and died in Techny on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at the age of 86. According to a December 21, 2010 online news brief by the Catholic News Service
homepage site, "he spoke nine languages fluently, including Polish, German, Russian, English, French, and his native Slovak. A Memorial Mass was scheduled for Wednesday, December 22, 2010, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit
in the Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center. The Archbishop's Funeral Mass and burial was scheduled to take place in the church of his Baptism in Nitra, Slovakia.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, and a Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
diplomat; he was a member of the Society of the Divine Word since 1950. He was ordained as a priest on 3 December 1950 in Techny, Illinois
Techny, Illinois
Techny is a neighborhood of Northbrook, Illinois, United States. Techny was once a separate community but was eventually annexed by Northbrook. The North American headquarters of the Divine Word Missionaries has been located in Techny since 1896. The Divine Word Missionaries opened St...
. Priest of Divine Word Missionaries
Divine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
. He was Ordained Titular Archbishop of Tabalta in August 1990. He was the Apostolic Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
from 1990 - 1994. In 1994, he became the first Apostolic Delegate to the Russian Federation. Archbishop Bukovsky could said to have achieved some significant successes in Russia. For example, through adroit negotiations with the mayor of St. Petersburg, he succeeded in regaining partial control of the former seminary in St. Petersburg. Archbishop Bukovsky retired in January 2000, and died in Techny on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at the age of 86. According to a December 21, 2010 online news brief by the Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service is an American news agency covering the Roman Catholic Church. CNS was established in 1920 and is a leading source of news for Catholic print and broadcast media throughout the world....
homepage site, "he spoke nine languages fluently, including Polish, German, Russian, English, French, and his native Slovak. A Memorial Mass was scheduled for Wednesday, December 22, 2010, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
in the Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center. The Archbishop's Funeral Mass and burial was scheduled to take place in the church of his Baptism in Nitra, Slovakia.