{"id":93181,"date":"2024-06-28T17:49:32","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T14:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93181\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"apostolic-nuncio-jozic-to-leave-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93181\/","title":{"rendered":"Apostolic Nuncio Jozi\u0107 to leave Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n File photo (Catholic.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 28, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Archbishop Ante Jozi\u0107 is leaving the post of apostolic nuncio to Belarus, according to the Holy See press office. Pope Francis has appointed him as envoy to Georgia and Armenia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholicism is the second largest Christian denomination in Belarus. About 1.5 million Catholics live in the country, including more than 10,000 Greek Catholics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Catholic Church in Belarus, Jozi\u0107 will serve in Minsk “until approximately the end of September 2024.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“During his almost four-year mission in our country, the envoy of Pope Francis has made a significant contribution to the development of the Catholic Church on Belarusian soil, helping the Holy See to deepen and strengthen its relations with government authorities and civil society in Belarus,\u201d the church said on its portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It reported that the diplomat “was involved in the peaceful resolution of a socio-political crisis in the country and contributed to the return of Archbishop Tadevu\u0161 Kandrusievi\u010d, then metropolitan of Minsk and Mahilo\u016d, to his homeland.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He also oversaw the appointment of Archbishop Juzaf Stanie\u016dski as the new metropolitan of Minsk and Mahilo\u016d. He initiated and implemented the translation of the Code of Canon Law into Belarusian and its publication, and completed the design of the Apostolic Nunciature in Minsk built by his predecessors,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the diplomat coordinated the formation of the apostolic administration for Belarusian Greek Catholics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jozi\u0107, a native of Croatia, was appointed as apostolic nuncio to Belarus in May 2020. He replaced G\u00e1bor Pint\u00e9r of Hungary, the Vatican’s current envoy to Honduras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the 2020 presidential election, the relationship between the state and the Catholic Church deteriorated as many priests and faithful denounced police brutality and repression. Some clerics were arrested or forced to flee the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka visited Vatican City in 2009 and 2016. On several occasions, he offered to mediate a meeting between the pope and the patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’. However, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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