On June 21-27, 2022, the Russian General Custody of St. Francis of Assisi celebrated its sixth Ordinary Custodial Chapter.
The Chapter took place in St. Petersburg, Russia.
All sixteen of the solemnly professed friars of the Custody took part in the Chapter with the Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI, presiding. The Assistant General for the Foederatio Europae Mediae et Orientalis (FEMO), Friar Tomáš LESŇÁK, participated online, due to some practical difficulties that kept him from entering Russia.
The Chapter took into account the work done at the Pre-Chapter Assembly. The results of both parts of the Chapter are as follows:
Friar Dariusz HARASIMOWICZ was re-elected Custos for a second term. The members of the Custodial Definitory are Friars Waldemar MACKIEWICZ, Vicar Custos; Piotr KARNIALIUK, Custodial Secretary; and Friar Viktor FRANKOVSKIY Custodial Econom and Exactor.
In addition, the Chapter elected Friar Waldemar MACKIEWICZ as Director of Formation; Friar Andrian ZUDIN as Assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS); Friar Andrej BUKO as Director of Vocation and Youth Ministry as well as Director of the formation house in St. Petersburg; and Friar Viktor FRANKOVSKIY as Director of the Franciscan Publishing House in Moscow.
The Chapter was conducted in a good fraternal atmosphere and in pleasant weather.
During the interval between parts one and two of the Chapter, the friars visited St. Petersburg, also known as the “Venice of the North,” on the occasion of its famous “White Nights” [near-midnight sun phenomena]. The friars also took a boat trip through the city’s canals.
Friar Dariusz HARASIMOWICZ, General Custos