Sergiusz Gajek

Jan Sergiusz Gajek M.I.C.
Apostolic Visitor of Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
Church	Catholic Church
Appointed	1994
Orders
Ordination	23 June 1974
Personal details
Born	(1949-02-08) February 8, 1949 Łyszkowice, Poland

Jan Sergiusz Gajek (Template:Lang-be, Siarhiej Hajek, born Jan Gajek on February 2, 1949) is the Apostolic Visitor for Greek-Catholic Christians on the territory of Belarus.

He was born into a Polish Roman Catholic family in Łyszkowice, central Poland, and graduated from a local school and from a gymnasium.

In August 1967, Gajek joined the Congregation of Marian Fathers. Between 1967 and 1974 he studied at the Catholic University of Lublin. In the late 1960s, Gajek became engaged in activities of the exiled Belarusian clergy. He had contacts with the Belarusian cultural and religious centre in London, including bishop Ceslaus Sipovich and Robert Tamushanski. On 23 June 1974 he was ordained to the priesthood, and served for several years in a parish in Głuchołazy.

The following two years Gajek studied at the Theology Faculty of the Catholic University of Lublin. After that he was sent to Rome, where in 1978-1983 he studied at the Pontificia Instituto Orientale. In November 1983 Gajek became Doctor and returned to Poland. In 1983-1999 he worked at the Catholic University of Lublin.

As leader of Greek Catholics in Belarus

In 1994 Pope John Paul II appointed Gajek Apostolic Visitor for Greek Catholics in Belarus. In 1996 Gajek became Archimandrite and corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy of Mary. In 1997 he became adviser of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

Gajek is author of numerous scientific publications on Christianity in the Slavonic East.

Gallery

• 
  Father Gajek in 2008
• 
  Father Gajek in 2012

Sources

• Biography on the website of the St. Joseph Minsk Greek Catholic Centre