Archbishop Abel (Poplavsky) of Ljublin and Kholm

Archbishop Abel, in the world Andrzei Constanstinovich Poplavsky, was born on April 8, 1958, in Nareva (Bialo province, Poland).

From 1973-1977, he studied in the Warsaw Orthodox Theological Seminary, then in the Higher Orthodox Theological Seminary in Jablonka's Saint Onuphrios Monastery, where he became a novice.

In 1979, he received monastic tonsure and was ordained to the office of Hierodeacon, and then in 1981 - hieromonk. He served the parishes of Lemkovshina, in the villages of Polyana, Komancha, Zindranovo, where by his efforts in 1984 was built the first Orthodox church after World War II for Lemki, in Pshemysl.

From 1985 until 1987, he served the Ukrainian Orthodox diaspora in Germany.

In 1987, he became the father superior of Jablonka's monastery.

On March 25, 1989, he was consecrated Bishop of Ljublin and Kholm. During his years of service, Bishop Abel has done much for the reestablishment of Church live in the southeastern regions of Poland, from which the Orthodox population was practically completely deported in the first, post-war years.

On Vladyka Abel's initiative, in 1991, was organized a Church commission for the stuy of the history of Orthodoxy and Ukrainian culture in the Kholm region, and in 1994 was created the Museum of the Orthodox Diocese of Ljublin-Kholm.

According to the material: Yu. A. Labyntsev, Orthodox Encyclopedia, vol. 1, p. 125
Translated from the Russian by Daryle Lamoureux