Andrej Saje (born 22 April 1966) is a Slovenian

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

prelate who is currently serving as the second bishop of the Diocese of Novo Mesto since 30 June 2021 and a president of the

Episcopal Conference of Slovenia Slovenian Bishops' Conference (SBC; , ) is the supreme authority of the Roman Catholic Church in Slovenia, which combines all the bishops of Slovenian dioceses and archdioceses: Archdiocese of Ljubljana, Archdiocese of Maribor, Diocese of Koper ...

since 24 March 2022.

Early life and education

Andrej Saje was born into a Roman Catholic family of Drago and Frančiška (née Ulčar) Saje in

Novo Mesto Novo Mesto (; ; also known by #Name, alternative names) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, seventh-largest city of Slovenia. It is the economic and cultural centre of the traditional region of Lower Carniola (southeastern Slovenia) and ...

as their first child, but grew up in Veliki Kal in the parish of

Mirna Peč Mirna Peč (; ) is a rural settlement in southeast Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Mirna Peč. Geography Mirna Peč is located about 10 km northwest of Novo Mesto, the cultural and administrative centre of the traditional r ...

. After finishing primary school in

(1973–1981) and graduation gymnasium in

in 1985, he made a one-year of compulsory military service in the Yugoslavian Army (1985–1986) and entered to the Major Theological Seminary in

Ljubljana {{Infobox settlement , name = Ljubljana , official_name = , settlement_type = Capital city , image_skyline = {{multiple image , border = infobox , perrow = 1/2/2/1 , total_widt ...

and in the same time joined the Theological Faculty at the

University of Ljubljana The University of Ljubljana (, , ), abbreviated UL, is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. It has approximately 38,000 enrolled students. The university has 23 faculties and three art academies with approximately 4,000 teaching and re ...

, where graduated in 1991 and was ordained a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

on 29 June 1992, for the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana (, ) is a Latin ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Slovenia. after completed his philosophical and theological studies.

Pastoral and educational work

After his ordination Fr. Saje was engaged in the pastoral work and served as a parish priest in

Grosuplje Grosuplje (; )''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 108. is a town in central Slovenia, in the northwest of the traditional region of Lower ...

(1992–1994) and from 1994 until 1997 was a personal assistant of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubljana. In summer 1997 he continued his education in the

Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum The ''Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum'', or simply ''Collegium Germanicum'', is a German-speaking seminary for Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been ''Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urb' ...

and completed his studies with a

Doctor of Theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...

degree in

Canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

at the

Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...

in 2003. After returning to Slovenia, he was general secretary and spokesman for the

for ten years (2003–2013) and served as a prefect of Studies at the Theological Seminary in Ljubljana (2003–2016). He was appointed a judge of the Metropolitan Church Court in 2003, and in 2016 the judicial vicar of the same court and the judicial vicar of the Archdiocese of Ljubljana. Fr, Saje also was an assistant professor and after professor at the Department of Canon Law at the Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana. He served as a spiritual assistant in the parish of Ljubljana-

Ježica Ježica (; ) is a formerly independent settlement in the northern part of the capital Ljubljana in central Slovenia. It is part of the traditional region of Upper Carniola and is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Central Sloven ...

(2013–2015) and from 2014 until the summer of 2021, when he was appointed bishop, he was a spiritual assistant in Slovenian parishes in

Sele Sele may refer to: Places Africa *Sele, Burkina Faso, a village in the Ouéleni Department of Burkina Fase. * Sele, Ethiopia, a town in Agbe municipality Asia *Sele, Turkey, a Turkish village in Kailar in Ottoman times *Şələ, Azerbaijan *Seleu ...

and Bajdiše in the

Klagenfurt-Land District Bezirk Klagenfurt-Land () is a district of the state of Carinthia in Austria. :de:Bezirk Klagenfurt-Land Municipalities Towns (''Städte'') are indicated in boldface; market towns (''Marktgemeinden'') in ''italics''; suburbs, hamlets and other ...

of the Austrian

Roman Catholic Diocese of Gurk The Diocese of Gurk-Klagenfurt (, ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church covering the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is part of the ecclesiastical province of Salzburg. Though named after Gurk Cathedral, the bishop's see since 1787 ...

Bishop

On 30 June 2021, he was appointed by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

as the second bishop of the Diocese of Novo Mesto. On 26 September 2021, he was consecrated as bishop by Bishop

Andrej Glavan Andrej Glavan (born 16 October 1943) is a Slovenian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the first bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto, Diocese of Novo Mesto from its creation on 7 April 2006 until his retirement on 30 June 2021. Al ...

in the St. Kancijan Church in

and two days later, on 28 September 2021, was installed. Since 24 March 2022 Saje has been the president of the

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saje, Andrej 1966 births Living people People from Novo Mesto University of Ljubljana alumni Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Slovenian theologians Academic staff of the University of Ljubljana 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Slovenia Bishops appointed by Pope Francis