Štefan Barnaš

Štefan Barnaš (born January 19, 1900 in Tótfalu , Austria-Hungary ; † April 16, 1964 in Pezinok in the Bratislava region ) was auxiliary bishop in Spiš .

Life

Štefan (István) Barnaš was born into a farming family as the first of seven children. The priestly vocation was awakened in him early on. He studied theology in Prague and received the sacrament of ordination for the diocese of Spiš on June 29, 1925 . After a time in the parish ministry, he studied further and received his doctorate in theology in 1933 . As a professor he taught at the Theological College in Spiš, fundamental theology , Christian philosophy , Hebrew and biblical archeology , he was rector at the seminary in Spiš.

On October 25, 1949, Pope Pius XII appointed him . as auxiliary bishop in Spiš and at the same time as titular bishop of Conana . When the state authorities learned of the appointment, they forbade public episcopal ordination . On November 5, 1949, Bishop Ján Vojtaššák took the consecration in the chapel of the seminary in Spiš. Mitkonsekrator was the Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop Martin Kheberich . Only college colleagues, some priests and nuns, seminarians and relatives took part in the ceremony in the "closest circle".

In June 1951 he was interned in a camp for Catholic priests; in February 1951 he was arrested and interrogated by the state police. Exhausted from physical and mental torture, he was taken to the hospital. On November 28, 1951, he and eight other people (priests and laypeople) were charged with espionage and treason in Bratislava and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Bishop Štefan Barnaš's health was very critical at the beginning of the year. Concerned that he might die in prison, he was released early on May 9, 1960.

In view of his old age (85 years) and poor health (imprisonment), Bishop Vojtassák asked Pope Paul VI. in March 1964 to appoint his auxiliary bishop as his successor. That did not happen because Štefan Barnaš died on April 16, 1964. His body was transferred to his hometown Slovenská Ves and buried there.

Web links

• Entry on Štefan Barnaš on catholic-hierarchy.org

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Le Petit Episcopologe, Issue 113, Additions / Corrections (front)
2. ^ Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, Issue 1949, Number 101
3. ↑ Le Petit Episcopologe, Issue 213, Additions / Corrections (front)
4. ↑ Biography of Bishop Štefan Barnaš ( memento of the original from April 22, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.