(Catholic Herald) Fr Nicolai Dubinin has become the first Russian to be appointed a Catholic bishop since the fall of communism.
Last Thursday, Pope Francis appointed the 47-year-old Conventual Franciscan as auxiliary bishop for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow and designated him the Titular See of Acque di Bizacena.
Since Church institutions were re-established after the fall of communism, no Russian nationals had been appointed Catholic bishops before now.
The appointment of Fr Dubinin is seen as an important step in the spiritual renewal of the country’s 700,000-strong Catholic community, which has a small but significant presence across the country’s vast terrain.
Tej Francis
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