Ivan Prasko
Encyclopedia
Bishop Ivan Prasko was the eparch of Australia
, New Zealand
, and Oceania
for the Ukrainian Catholic
Church.
He was born in Ternopil
, Ukraine
. He studied at the Theological Academy in Lviv, and then in Rome
at the Pontifical College Damascenum and the Pontifical University Urbanianum. He was ordained in Rome on 2 April 1939. He continued his studies at the Pontifical University Gregorianum and at the Pontifical Oriental Institute and was awarded a doctorate in 1943.
Prasko served as pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Melbourne
from 1950 to 1958 before being ordained exarch of Australia and New Zealand on 17 October 1958. He became eparch of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, 24 June 1982, when the exarchate was raised to an eparchy. Under his leadership, the Ukrainian Catholic Church served as "the genesis of the Ukrainian community and identity in Australia." . For his efforts in community building, he was awarded the designation Member of the British Empire.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
for the Ukrainian Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
Church.
He was born in Ternopil
Ternopil
Ternopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical region of Galicia...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He studied at the Theological Academy in Lviv, and then in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at the Pontifical College Damascenum and the Pontifical University Urbanianum. He was ordained in Rome on 2 April 1939. He continued his studies at the Pontifical University Gregorianum and at the Pontifical Oriental Institute and was awarded a doctorate in 1943.
Prasko served as pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
from 1950 to 1958 before being ordained exarch of Australia and New Zealand on 17 October 1958. He became eparch of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, 24 June 1982, when the exarchate was raised to an eparchy. Under his leadership, the Ukrainian Catholic Church served as "the genesis of the Ukrainian community and identity in Australia." . For his efforts in community building, he was awarded the designation Member of the British Empire.