On Sunday 2 February, Msgr. Stephan Lipke received episcopal consecration as the new Auxiliary Bishop of the vast diocese of Novosibirsk. Born in Germany, a Jesuit by vocational choice, in Russia motivated by missionary zeal: Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Moscow and then Novosibirsk again have been the destinations of his experience in the Russian Federation since 2011. His academic training and teaching, in the fields of literature and philosophy, came together in his pastoral journey, which in recent years has brought him to Moscow, where he served as director of the St Thomas Institute and Secretary of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia. The diocese that Pope Francis appointed him to serve as auxiliary bishop, alongside Bishop Joseph Werth, is about seven times the size of Italy, with a population of 24 million, of whom 400,000 are Catholics, with 49 parishes, 37 priests and 52 nuns. Many of the members of the Catholic community attended Father Lipke’s consecration ceremony, which lasted almost three hours and brought together in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration many familiar faces and stories – Russian and otherwise – that had crossed Father Lipke’s path. SIR interviewed the new bishop on the occasion of his consecration, which took place just a few days ago.
What was the most significant moment of your episcopal ordination that continues to resonate with you most strongly?
I found it very significant that the rite of ordination highlights the connection between the Sacrament and the Word, when the deacons open the Book of the Gospels over the head of the soon-to-be Bishop.
Significantly, since we do not have a Catholic version, we use a beautiful Evangeliary of the Byzantine Rite. Therefore, this gesture also has an ecumenical dimension.
Another special moment was when the bishop anointed my head with such an abundance of chrism that I am quite certain that the oil of joy will continue to flow in the midst of difficulties.
In the days of your episcopal ordination, the first of the Pan-Russian Jubilee Congresses dedicated to Mary “Mother of Vocations” took place in Novosibirsk. Which guidelines have you drawn from this for your ministry and for the Church in Russia?
One of the four Jubilee 2025 Congresses took place on 1 February (there will be one in each of the Russian dioceses).
This first Congress was dedicated to vocations. The importance of promoting Christian life in families and communities was one of the points raised.
I see this as an invitation to help build strong families.
How is the Catholic Church in Russia preparing for the great transformation that Pope Francis is leading the Church towards, notably Synodality and the Jubilee?
Before 1991, the Catholic Church in Russia was extremely “democratic”, simply because it had no clergy. Then the priests began to arrive. We are now in the process of developing cooperation between the clergy and the laity. We are also strengthening our outreach efforts to the poor and our prayers for peace. Ours is indeed a Church on the move: many people travel long distances to attend Mass, they come to receive strength from the Lord. May this hope never fade!
You have been living in Russia for 14 years: what is the emerging challenge for the Catholic Church in Russia at this politically delicate time for the country?
We must serve as a reference point for people who are alone, who are afraid, who need help.
