At noon today, July 30, 2020, the Holy See made an official proclamation, confirming that Pope Francis has appointed our confrere, Friar Nicolai Gennadevich DUBININ, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, assigning him the Titular See of Aquae in Byzacena.
Friar Nikolai is a member of the Russian General Custody of St. Francis of Assisi. He was born May 27, 1973 in Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov Oblast (southern Russia) to a very devout family. His parents are now deceased and he has an older sister. Friar Nikolai underwent theological formation for the priesthood with the Conventual Franciscans of Poland. He made his temporary profession on September 8, 1995, his solemn profession on October 3, 1998, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 2000. During 2002-2005 he studied at the Santa Giustina Institute of Pastoral Liturgy in Padua, Italy where he received a Licentiate Degree in Liturgy. He continued his doctorate cycle in theology with a liturgical-pastoral specialization at the same Institute.
Also during 2000-2005, once he was ordained, he worked in various friaries. In 2005, he was elected Custos of the Russian Jurisdiction and held that office for three terms (2005-2018). Since 2005, he has been the general manager of the Franciscan publishing house in Moscow. Since 2006, he has taught liturgy and homiletics at the Mary Queen of the Apostles Major Seminary in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2006, he became the Secretary of the Liturgy Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia. From 2008 to 2013, he worked as the deputy editor-in-chief of the Russian Catholic Encyclopedia. Since 2009, he has been the President of the Conference of Men and Women Major Superiors in Russia (CORSUM) and is now serving his third term. Since 2015, he has chaired the Commission for Catechesis and Liturgy of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, and has served as the coordinator of the Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Union of the European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM). He is currently the Guardian of the Friary of St. Anthony, Wonderworker in St. Petersburg, Russia.
We offer our brother our sincerest best wishes and assure him of our prayers!
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