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PARMA, Ohio — Father Marek Visnovsky, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Cleveland, was named protosyncellus of the Eparchy of Parma, effective March 9, as well as director of vocations and syncellus for clergy, effective March 12. Father Visnovsky succeeds Father John Kachuba as protosyncellus and Father Dennis Hrubiak as director of vocations.
In concert with his office as protosyncellus, Father Visnovsky was elevated to the rank of mitered archpriest by Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, apostolic administrator of Parma, during the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Holy Thursday, March 29.
Father Visnovsky was born Nov. 24, 1977, in Vranov, Slovakia. He entered Blessed Paul Peter Gojdic Seminary in Presov, Slovakia, in 1998, and was ordained June 20, 2004, for the Archeparchy of Presov.
He moved to the United States two months later to serve in the Eparchy of Parma, first as assistant to the pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Parma for one year, and then as pastor of St. Emilian Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, until 2015. He was then named pastor at St. Mary Parish in Cleveland. He was incardinated to the Eparchy of Parma in 2009.
“I left my country and my family 5,000 miles away at the age of 26, to serve the Eparchy of Parma, and I honestly try to do my best and I believe that any other priest of the eparchy would do the same had he been chosen to serve in these positions,” said Father Visnovsky.
Father Visnovsky is married with three children; he is also an accomplished iconographer.
Caption: Father Marek Visnovsky, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Cleveland, is the new protosyncellus, director of vocations and sycellus for clergy. (Photo: John Popp)
As published in Horizons, April 15, 2018.
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