Archbishop of Riga
Z. Stankevičs was born on February 15, 1955, in Lejasciems Parish, Gulbene District. He completed his studies at Eglaine Basic School in 1970 and Ilūkste Secondary School No. 1 in 1973. In 1978, he graduated from the Riga Polytechnic Institute, qualifying as an engineer in automated control systems. He obtained a master's degree from the Faculty of Theology at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, in 1996. In 2004, he received a Licentiate degree in fundamental theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, and in 2008, he was awarded a doctorate in theology from the same university. Professor Z. Stankevičs has been active in both administrative and pastoral roles: he worked as an engineer from 1978 to 1990; was a member of a Christian ecumenical community from 1980 to 1990; served at St. Francis Parish in Riga (as vicar) from 1996 to 2001; was the spiritual director of the Riga Metropolitan Seminary from 1999 to 2001; was responsible for the "Effata" charismatic community from 1996 to 2002; lectured at the Riga Metropolitan Seminary and the Institute of Catechetics from 1996 to 2002; served at St. James's Cathedral in Riga (as vicar) and as a youth chaplain in Old Riga from 2001 to 2002; and served as the director of the "Beato Pio IX" student residence of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome from 2005 to 2006. From 2008: Lecturer in Fundamental Theology at the Riga Theological Institute and the Riga Higher Institute of Religious Sciences; parochial vicar at Christ the King Parish. From December 8, 2008: Director of the Riga Higher Institute of Religious Sciences and spiritual director at the Riga Metropolitan Seminary. Author of eight academic publications (including five in foreign languages) and presenter at five academic conferences. Active in sports; achieved 1st-class ranking in track and field; hobby: mountaineering. Fluent in Latvian, Polish, Russian, Italian, and English; also able to communicate and use literature in French and German. Information prepared by the LRKB Information Centre. Photo: Aigars Brikmanis (LRKB Information Centre archive).