Alexander Nadson
Encyclopedia
Father Alexander Nadson is the Apostolic Visitor
for Belarusian Greek-Catholic
faithful abroad and a notable Belarus
ian émigré social and religious leader.
Born Aliaksandar Bochka in the village Haradzieja near Niasvizh, he studied at the Niasvizh seminary. In 1944 he emigrated from Belarus, and in 1945 was a soldier in the 2nd Polish Corps fighting in northern Italy, where he was wounded. In 1946 he moved to Great Britain
where he studied at the University of London
. Nadson was one of the founders of the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
and its chairman in 1951-1953. He was editor of the periodicals Biełarus na čužynie and Na šlachu, and took part in the activities of the Belarusian Christian academic society Ruń and the Belarusian People's Independent Christian Movement.
From fall 1953 he studied at the Pontifical Greek College in Rome
. He was ordained priest on 23 November 1958. In July 1959 Fr Nadson returned to London
where he resumed his activities in organizations of the Belarusian diaspora.
Since 1971 Fr Nadson has been the director of the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
in London, the largest Belarusian library abroad. Since 1981 he has been head of the Belarusian Catholic mission in Great Britain, and since the late 1980s, Apostolic Visitor for all Belarusian Greek-Catholic
faithful abroad.
He is the author of several books on the history of Belarus and the head of a Chernobyl
charity fund.
Apostolic visitor
In the Catholic Church, an apostolic visitor is a papal representative with a transient mission to perform a canonical visitation of relatively short duration...
for Belarusian Greek-Catholic
Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
The Belarusian Greek Catholic Church , sometimes called, in reference to its Byzantine Rite, the Belarusian Byzantine Catholic Church, is the heir within Belarus of the Union of Brest...
faithful abroad and a notable Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian émigré social and religious leader.
Born Aliaksandar Bochka in the village Haradzieja near Niasvizh, he studied at the Niasvizh seminary. In 1944 he emigrated from Belarus, and in 1945 was a soldier in the 2nd Polish Corps fighting in northern Italy, where he was wounded. In 1946 he moved to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
where he studied at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Nadson was one of the founders of the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
The Association of Belarusians in Great Britain is an organisation in the United Kingdom uniting members of the Belarusian diaspora.After the end of World War II, several thousands ethnic Belarusians landed in Britain. Most of these people were former soldiers of the Polish Anders Army.In 1946 the...
and its chairman in 1951-1953. He was editor of the periodicals Biełarus na čužynie and Na šlachu, and took part in the activities of the Belarusian Christian academic society Ruń and the Belarusian People's Independent Christian Movement.
From fall 1953 he studied at the Pontifical Greek College 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...
. He was ordained priest on 23 November 1958. In July 1959 Fr Nadson returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he resumed his activities in organizations of the Belarusian diaspora.
Since 1971 Fr Nadson has been the director of the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum in London, England, is the only library outside Belarus to collect exclusively in the field of Belarusian studies and its collection is the most comprehensive in this field in Western Europe. The library is an independent institution owned by a...
in London, the largest Belarusian library abroad. Since 1981 he has been head of the Belarusian Catholic mission in Great Britain, and since the late 1980s, Apostolic Visitor for all Belarusian Greek-Catholic
Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
The Belarusian Greek Catholic Church , sometimes called, in reference to its Byzantine Rite, the Belarusian Byzantine Catholic Church, is the heir within Belarus of the Union of Brest...
faithful abroad.
He is the author of several books on the history of Belarus and the head of a Chernobyl
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
charity fund.