Jānis Pujats

His Eminence
Jānis Pujats
Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Riga
Church Roman Catholic
Archdiocese Archdiocese of Riga
Installed 1991
Term ended 19 June 2010
Predecessor Antonijs Springovičs
Successor Zbigņevs Stankevičs
Other posts Cardinal-Priest of Santa Silvia
Orders
Ordination 29 March 1951
Consecration 1 June 1991
Created Cardinal 21 February 1998
by John Paul II, in pectore
Rank Cardinal
Personal details
Born (1930-11-14) November 14, 1930
Nautrēni parish in Latgale, Latvia
Nationality  Latvian
Coat of arms
Styles of
Jānis Pujats
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken style Your Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Riga

Jānis Pujats (born 14 November 1930) is the archbishop emeritus of Riga, Latvia, and a Cardinal.

Pujats was born in Nautrēni parish in Latgale. He attended the Theological Seminary in Riga until it was closed by the Soviet Union in 1951. Two months later, he was ordained in a secret ceremony by Archbishop Antonijs Springovičs. During the episcopate of Pope Paul VI, he implemented the Pope's liturgical reform and published the first missal in Latvian. Jānis Pujats was made Archbishop of Riga in 1991. On 21 February 1998 he was made a Cardinal in pectore by Pope John Paul II; his cardinalate was made public at the consistory of 21 February 2001.[1] He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. He speaks Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, German and Latin in addition to his native Latvian.[2] He is noted for being the only member of the Synod of Bishops to speak exclusively Latin when at the microphone at both the 2001 and 2005 meetings.[3]

His resignation was accepted for reasons of age on 19 June 2010, when Pope Benedict appointed Zbigņevs Stankevičs as the new archbishop of Riga.[4]

Condemnation of homosexuality

In a May 2007 open letter protesting a gay pride march scheduled for 3 June 2007 as part of the Riga Pride and Friendship Days, Pujāts referred to homosexuality as "absolute depravity in sexual behavior" and an "unnatural form of prostitution".[5] He told the faithful to 'be prepared to go out into the streets"[6] to protest the events, "not to create disorder, but to offer a disciplined position in support of the government, because on this very important issue of morals, the government is on the side of Christians."[7]

See also

References

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