Bishop Dionisio Paulo Lachovicz,

O.S.B.M. The Order of Saint Basil the Great (; , abbreviated OSBM), also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat, is a Greek Catholic monastic order of pontifical right that works actively among Ukrainian Catholics and other Greek-Catholic churc ...

(; born 2 July 1946) is a Brazilian-born

Ukrainian Greek Catholic The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a major archiepiscopal '' sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Catholic Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. ...

hierarch. He was an

Apostolic Visitor In the Catholic Church, an apostolic visitor (or ''Apostolic Visitator''; Italian: Visitatore apostolico) is a papal representative with a transient mission to perform a canonical visitation of relatively short duration. The visitor is deputed ...

for the

Ukrainian Greek Catholics The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a Major archiepiscopal church, major archiepiscopal ''sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Cathol ...

in Italy (until 2019) and Spain (until 2016). Prior to this appointment, he served as a Curial Bishop of the Major Archeparchy of Kyiv-Halych from 21 December 2005, until 19 January 2009, under the title of Titular Bishop of Egnatia. From 5 September 2019, he was a Delegate with the rights of Apostolic Exarch for the

Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Italy The Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Italy () is an Apostolic Exarchate (pre-diocesan jurisdiction) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church covers its faithful in Italy and San Marino. History Early history At the end of the 20th cen ...

, and later become a full Apostolic Exarch, until his retirement on 7 March 2025.

Biography

Bishop Lachovicz was born in a family of ethnic Ukrainian Greek-Catholics in Pombas,

Itaiópolis Itaiópolis is a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil. See also *List of municipalities in Santa Catarina This is a list of the municipalities in the state of Santa Catarina (SC), located in the South Reg ...

, Santa Catarina,

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. After attending the Basilian minor seminary, he joined the

Order of Saint Basil the Great The Order of Saint Basil the Great (; , abbreviated OSBM), also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat, is a Greek Catholic monastic order of pontifical right that works actively among Ukrainian Catholics and other Greek-Catholic churc ...

and made his first

profession A profession is a field of Work (human activity), work that has been successfully professionalized. It can be defined as a disciplined group of individuals, professionals, who adhere to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as, and are ...

on January 30, 1964, followed by his solemn profession on March 30, 1970. He was ordained as 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 December 8, 1972, after studies at St. Basil's Seminary-Studium in

Curitiba Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná in Southern Brazil. The city's population was 1,773,718 , making it the List of cities in Brazil by population, eighth most populous city in Brazil and the larg ...

. Then he continued his studies in Brazil and Italy, earning a licentiate in Theology. After returning from Italy, he had various pastoral assignments and served as a teacher and professor at the Basilian Institutes in Brazil. From 1991 to 1996 he worked in Ukraine as a professor at and then as rector of (beginning in 1994) the Basilian Theological studies in Zolochiv. From 1996 to 2004 he was the Proto

archimandrite The title archimandrite (; ), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot ('' hegumenos'', , present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") whom a bishop appointed to supervise several "ordinary" abbots and monaste ...

(General Superior) of the Basilians in Rome. On December 21, 2005, Fr. Lachovicz was confirmed by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

as a curial bishop, and he was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

to the

episcopacy A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

on February 26, 2006. The principal

consecrator A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop. The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches ...

was Cardinal

Lubomyr Husar Liubomyr Huzar MSU (; 26 February 1933 – 31 May 2017) was the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the first elected in independent Ukraine. He was also a cardinal of the Catholic Church. After the transfer of the s ...

, the

Major Archbishop In the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop (sometimes also styled as major archeparch) is a title for the chief hierarch ("Father and Head") of an autonomous ('' sui juris'') particular Church that has not been "endowed with the patriarc ...

of the

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a Major archiepiscopal church, major archiepiscopal ''sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Cathol ...

at that time.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lachovicz, Dionisio 1946 births Living people People from Santa Catarina (state) Brazilian people of Ukrainian descent Brazilian Eastern Catholic bishops 21st-century Eastern Catholic bishops Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Order of Saint Basil the Great Italian Eastern Catholic bishops