Bishop Vladimir Fekete led the Lenten retreat in the Apostolic Administration of Atyrau

At the invitation of Fr. Peter Sakmar, Ordinary of the Apostolic Administration of Atyrau (Kazakhstan), Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Apostolic Prefect of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, led Lenten retreats for the priests and religious of the Administration on March 17–18.

The main themes of the spiritual exercises were the Beatitude concerning purity of heart — “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) — as well as the reflections of Pope Francis on the five characteristics of a priest’s heart. These reflections are based on Pope Francis’ letter to priests on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, the Curé of Ars.

During his visit, Bishop Vladimir Fekete also presided over the Mass of the Blessing of Oils (Missa Chrismatis).

The Apostolic Administration of Atyrau is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction based in the city of Atyrau and is subject to the Archdiocese of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its territory includes the Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Mangystau, and Atyrau regions. Like the Apostolic Prefecture of Azerbaijan, it is part of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Central Asia.