About Our Parish and Its History
The Greek Catholic parish of Komárno was established in 2008 by separation from the Nitra parish and belongs to the Nitra-Trenčín proto-presbyterate. Sunday and holiday services are held in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Anne. Although the parish is small in terms of the number of faithful, it is vibrant. In Komárno itself, there are just over 200 Greek Catholics. The parish's jurisdiction extends beyond the Komárno district to include the districts of Levice and Nové Zámky (altogether more than 800 Greek Catholics). The first parish administrator in 2008 was Father Peter Komanický. After his short tenure, priests from Bratislava took over the administration of the parish excurrendo. Currently, Sunday services in the parish are mainly celebrated by proto-syncellus Father Vladimír Skyba and Father Peter Sabol.
Did you know that a parish is a structural division of a proto-presbyterate (deanery) or an eparchy (diocese)? However, what truly constitutes the life-giving essence of a parish, and thus of the Church, is: the Word of God, the liturgy, and fraternal community. Even though we may still operate on a modest scale, we strive to embody these principles in our Greek Catholic parish in Komárno. The Church is a unique place where every person, every sinner, is given the opportunity for salvation, redemption, and the chance to change their life and way of thinking. Every individual should receive the joyful message that Jesus Christ loves them, sacrificed His life to save them, and now desires to live alongside them every day to enlighten, strengthen, and set them free.
A wise man once said: “Few people are satisfied with their appearance, but everyone is satisfied with their opinions.” In Christianity, we are first and foremost invited to conversion—to a change of mindset. This is very difficult; in fact, I dare say that without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible. How can we receive the Holy Spirit? The simplest example is the Most Holy Theotokos (Mother of God). Through the angel’s announcement—the proclamation of the joyful news—and through her faith, the Holy Spirit descended upon her, and the life of Jesus Christ was conceived in her. Every Christian needs to walk a similar path. Perhaps that is why the first Christians were called "followers of the Path" (cf. Acts 9:2). A Christian is one who walks, who journeys, who has a goal ahead. Not one of their own choosing, but the one revealed to them by God in Jesus Christ. This goal is eternal life, the Kingdom of God, communion with God, and unity with their brethren in a spirit of mercy, humility, and holiness.
To help you reach this goal, your spiritual fathers Vladimír and Peter offer you their blessings.
Personalities
emeritus eparch
Peter Rusnák
Date of Birth: September 6, 1950, Humenné. Peter Rusnák was born as the son of a Greek Catholic priest. His father was persecuted during the communist regime and exiled along with his entire family to the Czech Republic. Later, they were allowed to return to Slovakia, but only under the condition that they remain in Bratislava.
- His father was a Greek Catholic priest who was persecuted during the communist regime and exiled with his entire family to the Czech Republic. Later, they were permitted to return to Slovakia, but only if they stayed in Bratislava.
- 1982 – At the age of 32, he entered the priestly seminary in Bratislava. June 14, 1987 – Ordained as a priest in Prešov.
- 1987-1990 – Served in various parishes as a chaplain and later as a parish priest.
- 1990 – Became a spiritual director at the Greek Catholic Seminary in Prešov and actively contributed to its restoration.
- 1995-1998 – Served as episcopal vicar and chancellor of the eparchial curia in Prešov. 1990-2003 – Taught pastoral theology and homiletics at the Faculty of Greek Catholic Theology of the University of Prešov.
- 1998 – Returned to active pastoral ministry and was appointed parish priest in Bardejov.
- 2003 – Became responsible as a parish priest and dean for the Greek Catholic diaspora in Bratislava.
- January 30, 2008 – Appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the first bishop of the Bratislava Eparchy.
- February 16, 2008 – Consecrated as a bishop in Prešov.
- March 9, 2008 – Officially installed as the bishop of the Bratislava Eparchy.
Bishop of the Bratislava Eparchy
Milan Lach
Milan Lach was born on November 18, 1973, in Kežmarok (Archeparchy of Prešov) and grew up in Ľubica. In 1991, he entered the Blessed P.P. Gojdič Greek Catholic Theological Seminary in Prešov and began studying at the Greek Catholic Theological Faculty in Prešov. In 1995, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Trnava and subsequently continued his theological studies at the Faculty of Theology of Trnava University in Bratislava, which he completed in 2001. He speaks Italian and English fluently and communicates actively in Russian and Ukrainian.
He received the diaconate ordination from the then eparchial bishop of Košice, Milan Chautur CSsR, on November 11, 2000, and was ordained a priest on July 1, 2001, in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Košice.
From 2001 to 2003, he worked as a research fellow at the East-West Spirituality Center of Michal Lacko in Košice, and in 2003-2004, he served as its director. At the same time, he provided pastoral assistance in Košice and its surroundings.
Between 2004 and 2009, he pursued studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he earned a licentiate in Eastern Church Studies in 2006 and a doctorate (SEODr.) in 2009, defending his dissertation on the topic: The Contribution of Juraj Joannikij Bazilovič OSBM to the Monastic Formation of the Basilian Order in the Mukachevo Eparchy (1789–1821). During this time, he also served as an assistant spiritual director at the Pontifical Russian College (Russicum) and as a spiritual assistant for the Federation of European Scouts in Rome. He collaborated as an author with Vatican Radio.
From 2010, he was a member of the editorial board of the theological journal Verba Theologica. From December 1, 2011, he served as Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations and Development at the Faculty of Theology of Trnava University, where he lectured on Christian spirituality and the spirituality of the Christian East.
On April 19, 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Prešov and at the same time Titular Bishop of Ostracina. He received episcopal consecration on June 1, 2013, in Ľutina.
From 2016 to 2017, he was a visitor for the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, overseeing seminaries and Eastern colleges in Rome.
On June 24, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator (sede vacante) of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma in the United States, and on June 1, 2018, he was appointed as the Eparchial Bishop of the same eparchy.
On January 23, 2023, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Bratislava Eparchy by Pope Francis. He speaks Italian and English fluently and communicates actively in Russian and Ukrainian.
Since 16 March 2026, he serves as the Bishop of the Bratislava Eparchy.
The Protosyncellus
Fr. Vladimír Skyba
Vladimír Skyba was born on January 10, 1959, in Sobrance and grew up in the village of Tibava. He completed his secondary education in Košice at a construction-focused high school and later worked in a civilian profession. Desiring to become a priest, he applied to the seminary eight times during the 1980s but was repeatedly denied admission. Although the totalitarian regime was nearing its end, Slovakia still had only one seminary for all dioceses, where Greek Catholic seminarians also studied and received their formation. The state, however, restricted the number of admitted students (the so-called numerus clausus). Pôsobil ako protosynkel v rokoch 2003 až 2026.
Finally, in 1988, he was accepted into the St. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Bratislava. After the Velvet Revolution and the reestablishment of the seminary in Prešov, during the 1990/1991 academic year, he and other Greek Catholic seminarians continued their studies and formation in Prešov.
He was ordained a priest on June 6, 1993, by Bishop Ján Hirka as a celibate priest. His first assignment as a chaplain was in Trebišov, followed by service in Bardejov. From 1994 to 1996, he served as a spiritual director at the seminary in Prešov before returning to pastoral ministry.
Between 1996 and 1999, he served as a parish priest in Prešov and as the dean of the Prešov deanery. He then spent the next three years as a parish priest and dean in Snina. In these parishes, he demonstrated his zeal for pastoral ministry and his openness to the needs of the faithful entrusted to him. He particularly promoted Marian devotion, founded rosary groups, and organized pilgrimages to famous Marian shrines around the world (Fatima, Lourdes, etc.). In Prešov, he significantly contributed to the establishment of a new parish in the III. housing estate, organizing regular services (initially in the temporary space of the Cosmos cinema) and initiating the construction of a new church.
A new chapter in his priestly ministry began in 2003 when he was appointed the protosyncellus (vicar general) of the Eparchy of Prešov. This period coincided with the transition of leadership from Bishop Ján Hirka to Bishop Ján Babjak SJ. As protosyncellus, he became one of the new bishop’s closest collaborators. After two years of intense work at the bishop’s office, he returned to pastoral ministry as a parish priest in Repejov. However, he did not remain there for long: after the establishment of the Eparchy of Bratislava in January 2008, the newly appointed eparchial bishop, Peter Rusnák, invited him to Bratislava to contribute his extensive experience to the formation of the new eparchy.
After eleven years of service as protosyncellus, it can be confidently stated that he has played and continues to play a significant role in the Bratislava Eparchy. He has been instrumental in handling the administrative and organizational tasks necessary for the eparchy's establishment. Throughout his priestly life, he has demonstrated a deep sense of "sentire cum Ecclesia"—feeling with the Church. He is dedicated to the development and growth of the eparchy, including the stabilization of existing parishes, the establishment of new ones, the provision of liturgical spaces and rectories, the training of future priests, the support of monastic life, church schools, the promotion of the Cyril-Methodian heritage, and organizing eparchial pilgrimages, among many other activities.
Alongside his administrative responsibilities at the bishop’s office, Father Vladimír remains active in pastoral ministry and evangelization. He regularly serves at the parish in Komárno, which is currently vacant. He places great emphasis on the formation of young people, frequently leading retreats and spiritual renewals for religious sisters and seminarians, not only in the Prešov Eparchy but also in the Mukachevo Eparchy, and he is a well-respected preacher. He is particularly known for his devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and for promoting this devotion, especially on the First Friday of the month, a tradition deeply rooted in the spiritual life of the local sui iuris Church since the time of Blessed Pavol P. Gojdič. Furthermore, he is always readily available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
May Almighty God grant him the necessary graces and good health so that he may continue serving in our eparchy for many years, contributing to the flourishing and spiritual growth of the local Holy Church of God!
The Second Protosyncellus
Fr. Miroslav Bujdoš CSsR
On Bright Friday after Pascha, April 10, 2026, Bishop Milan Lach SJ, the Eparchial Bishop of Bratislava, appointed Father Miroslav Bujdoš CSsR as the new Protosyncellus – Vicar General of the Bratislava Eparchy.
Miroslav Bujdoš CSsR is 42 years old and has been a priest for 16 years. The new Protosyncellus was born on February 28, 1984, and comes from Stropkov. After graduating from the St. John Chrysostom Gymnasium in Humenné, he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 2002; in 2009 he professed his perpetual religious vows.
From 2002 to 2010, he studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków and Tuchów, Poland. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 2010, at the Minor Basilica of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Michalovce. He first served as a chaplain at the Parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Stará Ľubovňa. In 2015, he was appointed vice-provincial economist and member of the Redemptorist community in Michalovce. From 2015 to 2017, he attended a school for formators in Kraków. Throughout his priestly ministry, he has worked as a missionary in so-called "popular" parish and school missions and was also responsible for vocations ministry. He is a co-founder of the "School Missions" project.
From 2019 to 2022, he studied at the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy (Academia Alfonsiana) in Rome, successfully completing his studies and earning a licentiate in Moral Theology.
Since January 2023, he has been the vice-provincial superior (proto-hegumen) of the Michalovce vice-province of the Redemptorists. With the consent of the Superior General, Fr. Rogério Gomes CSsR in Rome, Miroslav Bujdoš CSsR was appointed Protosyncellus – Vicar General. In the 18-year history of the Bratislava Eparchy, Father Miroslav Bujdoš CSsR is its second Protosyncellus, succeeding Fr. Vladimír Skyba in this office (2008–2026).
Fr. Bujdoš speaks Italian and Polish, and can also communicate in Ukrainian.
Parish Administrator of Komárno
Fr. Peter Sabol
Peter Sabol was born on January 15, 1969, in Prešov. He has one sister (Silvia), who is the mother of six children and lives in Košice. He completed his primary and secondary education (grammar school) in Prešov. He began his theological studies in Bratislava (three years) at CMBF, and after the revolution, when the seminary and theological faculty in Prešov reopened, he completed his studies there (two years). He was ordained a priest on August 2, 1992, in Prešov as a celibate priest.
Places of service:
- 5 months as a chaplain in Košice
- 3.5 years as a parish priest in Sečovce
- 2 years as a seminary formator in Prešov
- 1 year as a parish priest in Žilina
- Nearly 4 years as episcopal vicar and parish priest in Bratislava
- 3.5 years as a parish priest in Banská Bystrica, Brezno, and Zvolen
- 1 year of missionary service in Moscow
- 6 months as personal secretary to Bishop Ján Babjak in Prešov
- 16 years as chancellor and personal secretary to Bishop Peter Rusnák in Bratislava
In his youth, he played the piano, a passion he has maintained to this day. He enjoys recreational tourism and cycling. Among theological disciplines, he is particularly interested in Patristics, Biblical Studies, Judaism, and Liturgics.
Father Stanislav Diheneščík
He was born in 1959 in Slanec. Chaplain of the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta (1998). The bishop granted Father Stanislav Diheneščík the right to wear the nabedrennik (2019).
Places of Service: 1994 - 1995 Chaplain, Prešov, 1995 - 1997 Chaplain, Bratislava, 1997 - 1999 Parish Administrator, Nitra, 1999 - 2001 Parish Administrator, Nitra, 2001 - 2003 Parish Administrator, Bratislava, 2001 - 2003 Excurrendo Parish Administrator, Nitra, 2003 - 2003 Parish Priest, Vislanka, 2004 Assistant Priest, Bratislava
Additional Information: 1992 - 1995 Assistant Lecturer at the Greek Catholic Theological Faculty, University of Prešov, 1998 - 2003 Dean of the Bratislava Deanery.
