Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas, S.J. (born 6 July 1961) is a Lithuanian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of the Kaunas from 11 June 2015 until 1 March 2019. He was Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys from 6 June 2013 until 11 June 2015.
Virbalas was born on 6 July 1961 in Biržai, Lithuanian SSR, present day Lithuania), in the Diocese of Panevėžys. After graduating from the local school, he studied at the Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute (1979–1981). He interrupted his studies to fulfill his compulsory service requirement in the Soviet Army from 1981 to 1983.[1] In 1983 he entered the Inter-Diocesan Theological Seminary in Kaunas, which was soon closed by the Soviet authorities. He then studied theology clandestinely and in 1986 entered the Theological Seminary[2] and then the Jesuits in 1989.[1] He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1991, after completed his philosophical and theological studies. He made his solemn profession as a Jesuit on 27 September 2003.
On 1 March 2019 Pope Francis accepted his resignation as Archbishop of Kaunas, which Virbalas had submitted because of health problems. He said he was returning to the exercise of his priestly mission.[5]
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"Il Papa accetta la rinuncia dell'arcivescovo di Kaunas, in Lituania". Vatican News (in Italian). 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^ abc. Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Lithuania (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
^"Rinunce e Nomine, 06.06.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^"Rinunce e Nomine, 11.06.2015" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^"Atsistatydina Kauno arkivyskupas metropolitas Lionginas Virbalas" (in Lithuanian). 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
lionginas, virbalas, archbishop, born, july, 1961, lithuanian, prelate, catholic, church, served, archbishop, kaunas, from, june, 2015, until, march, 2019, bishop, roman, catholic, diocese, panevėžys, from, june, 2013, until, june, 2015, excellency, archbishop. Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas S J born 6 July 1961 is a Lithuanian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of the Kaunas from 11 June 2015 until 1 March 2019 He was Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevezys from 6 June 2013 until 11 June 2015 His ExcellencyLionginas Virbalas S J Archbishop Emeritus of Kaunas Vice President of the Lithuanian Bishops ConferenceChurchRoman Catholic ChurchAppointed11 June 2015Term ended1 March 2019PredecessorSigitas Tamkevicius S J SuccessorKestutis KevalasOrdersOrdination30 May 1991 Priest Consecration10 August 2013 Bishop by Cardinal Audrys BackisPersonal detailsBornLionginas Virbalas 1961 07 06 6 July 1961 age 62 Birzai Lithuanian SSR present day Lithuania Previous post s Rector of the Collegium Russicum 2010 2013 Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevezys 2013 2015 Coat of armsLife EditVirbalas was born on 6 July 1961 in Birzai Lithuanian SSR present day Lithuania in the Diocese of Panevezys After graduating from the local school he studied at the Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute 1979 1981 He interrupted his studies to fulfill his compulsory service requirement in the Soviet Army from 1981 to 1983 1 In 1983 he entered the Inter Diocesan Theological Seminary in Kaunas which was soon closed by the Soviet authorities He then studied theology clandestinely and in 1986 entered the Theological Seminary 2 and then the Jesuits in 1989 1 He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1991 after completed his philosophical and theological studies He made his solemn profession as a Jesuit on 27 September 2003 In 1992 Virbalas continued his studies in Italy and earned a licentiate degree at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1994 He then fulfilled assignments as professor in the Theological Seminary and University Rector of the Church of St Francis Xavier Kaunas 1995 1997 Rector of the Church of St Casimir Vilnius 1998 2005 2008 2010 and Rector of the Pontifical Collegium Russicum in Rome 2010 2013 2 On 6 June 2013 Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevezys 3 and on 30 August 2013 he was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal Audrys Backis On 11 June 2015 Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Kaunas 4 Beginning on 28 October 2014 he was a Vice President of the Episcopal Conference of Lithuania 2 On 1 March 2019 Pope Francis accepted his resignation as Archbishop of Kaunas which Virbalas had submitted because of health problems He said he was returning to the exercise of his priestly mission 5 References Edit a b Il Papa accetta la rinuncia dell arcivescovo di Kaunas in Lituania Vatican News in Italian 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 a b c Arkivyskupas Lionginas Virbalas SJ Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Lithuania in Lithuanian Archived from the original on 28 February 2018 Retrieved 27 February 2018 Rinunce e Nomine 06 06 2013 Press release in Italian Holy See Press Office 6 June 2013 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Rinunce e Nomine 11 06 2015 Press release in Italian Holy See Press Office 11 June 2015 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Atsistatydina Kauno arkivyskupas metropolitas Lionginas Virbalas in Lithuanian 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Catholic Church titlesPreceded byAlojzij Cvikl Rector of the Pontifical Collegium Russicum2010 2013 Succeeded byAnto LozukPreceded byJonas Kauneckas Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevezys2013 2015 Succeeded byLinas VodopjanovasPreceded bySigitas Tamkevicius Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaunas2015 2019 Succeeded byKestutis KevalasPortals nbsp Biography nbsp Catholicism nbsp Lithuania Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lionginas Virbalas amp oldid 1173244081, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
