Gennadius Bizanczy
Encyclopedia
George Gennadius Bizanczy (or Bizantsy, 1657 1733) was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve
from 1716 to his death in 1733.
and ordained as a priest in 1701. He was assigned as parish priest in Nagykálló
, near the village of Máriapócs
where an icon
of the Virgin Mary wept in 1696 and again in August 1715.
The succession of the eparch of Mukacheve
Joseph De Camillis, died in 1706, was problematic. Three pretenders were appointed: Yosyp Hodermarskyi appointed by the Habsburgs king Joseph I of Hungary, Petronius Kaminsky appointed by anti-Habsburgs Francis II Rákóczi
, and Ukrainian
Polycarp Fylypovych appointed in 1709 by Rome. The solution arrived only in 1715: Kaminsky was died, Hodermarskyi retired in a monastery and on 4 May 1715 the clergy elected Gennadius Bizanczy, as suggested by the Latin bishop of Eger. His election was confirmed by the King of Hungary and later, on 3 April 1716 also by Pope Clement XI
, who retracted the appointment of Fylypovych.
At the time, the eparch (bishop) of Mukacheve
was granted formally only the title of apostolic vicar in order to not to have two bishops, one Latin and one Greek
Catholic, on the same territory. However Bizanczy had to pay the support of the Latin bishop of Eger in his election: the eparchy of Mukacheve became subject to Eger bishop, who soon hampered his action. Only in 1771 the eparchy was made independent from the Eger bishop.
Gennadius Bizanczy received the titular see
of Sebastopolis in Armenia and was consecrated bishop
on 21 December 1716 by the Metropolitans of Kiev, Lev Kiszka
.
In 1729 he joined the Basilian Order
of which he became Archimandrite
. In 1731 he stated the erection of the sanctuary of Máriapócs
. He worked with success in strengthening the communion
with the Catholic Church, and he succeeded to have always remembered by all the priests the name of the Pope into the Divine Liturgies
. Gennadius Bizanczy died on 22 July 1733 in a monastery in Csernek, near Gârbou
.
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve
The Eparchy of Mukacheve is an eparchy of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, with territory located in the west of Ukraine.The eparchy, like the entire Ruthenian Catholic Church, is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church...
from 1716 to his death in 1733.
Life
George Bizanczy was born in 1657. He completed his studies in the Jesuit college of TrnavaTrnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
and ordained as a priest in 1701. He was assigned as parish priest in Nagykálló
Nagykálló
Nagykálló is a small town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. Before World War II it belonged to Szabolcs county.-History:...
, near the village of Máriapócs
Máriapócs
Máriapócs is a small town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. It lies near Nyíregyháza. It is an important place for pilgrimage. It has a gorgeous Greek Catholic church, which houses the Weeping Black Madonna, an enormous and unbelievably...
where an icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of the Virgin Mary wept in 1696 and again in August 1715.
The succession of the eparch of Mukacheve
Mukacheve
Mukachevo or Mukacheve is a city located in the valley of the Latorica river in the Zakarpattia Oblast , in southwestern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Mukachivskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
Joseph De Camillis, died in 1706, was problematic. Three pretenders were appointed: Yosyp Hodermarskyi appointed by the Habsburgs king Joseph I of Hungary, Petronius Kaminsky appointed by anti-Habsburgs Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi Hungarian aristocrat, he was the leader of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1703-11 as the prince of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of Hungary. He was also Prince of Transylvania, an Imperial Prince, and a member of the Order of the Golden...
, and Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
Polycarp Fylypovych appointed in 1709 by Rome. The solution arrived only in 1715: Kaminsky was died, Hodermarskyi retired in a monastery and on 4 May 1715 the clergy elected Gennadius Bizanczy, as suggested by the Latin bishop of Eger. His election was confirmed by the King of Hungary and later, on 3 April 1716 also by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
, who retracted the appointment of Fylypovych.
At the time, the eparch (bishop) of Mukacheve
Mukacheve
Mukachevo or Mukacheve is a city located in the valley of the Latorica river in the Zakarpattia Oblast , in southwestern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Mukachivskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
was granted formally only the title of apostolic vicar in order to not to have two bishops, one Latin and one Greek
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
Catholic, on the same territory. However Bizanczy had to pay the support of the Latin bishop of Eger in his election: the eparchy of Mukacheve became subject to Eger bishop, who soon hampered his action. Only in 1771 the eparchy was made independent from the Eger bishop.
Gennadius Bizanczy received the titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Sebastopolis in Armenia and was consecrated bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 21 December 1716 by the Metropolitans of Kiev, Lev Kiszka
Lev Kiszka
Luka Lev Kiszka was the Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Russia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1714 to his death in 1728. He was also a writer, and theologian.-Life:...
.
In 1729 he joined the Basilian Order
Order of Saint Basil the Great
The Order of St. Basil the Great also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat is an monastic religious order of the Greek Catholic Churches that is present in many countries and that has its Mother House in Rome. The order received approbation on August 20, 1631...
of which he became Archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
. In 1731 he stated the erection of the sanctuary of Máriapócs
Máriapócs
Máriapócs is a small town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. It lies near Nyíregyháza. It is an important place for pilgrimage. It has a gorgeous Greek Catholic church, which houses the Weeping Black Madonna, an enormous and unbelievably...
. He worked with success in strengthening the communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Catholic Church, and he succeeded to have always remembered by all the priests the name of the Pope into the Divine Liturgies
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
. Gennadius Bizanczy died on 22 July 1733 in a monastery in Csernek, near Gârbou
Gârbou
Gârbou is a commune located in Sălaj County, Romania. It is composed of seven villages: Bezded, Călacea, Cernuc, Fabrica, Gârbou, Popteleac and Solomon....
.