The Archbishop of the New Lutheran Church becomes Rinald Grant / Day
In today’s LELB 30th, 161 Synods voted for Grant, but 157 voted against, so he became the next Archbishop of LELB with a slight vote, LETA informed LETA.
Until the newly elected Archbishop’s ceremony, former Archbishop Janis Vanags continues to fulfill his duties. The arrangement of the Archbishop’s wand is scheduled for a solemn service on August 29, 2025. The import of grant as Archbishop will take place on August 30 in a special service at the Riga Dome Cathedral.
According to information on the LELB website, Grant was born in 1974 in Saldus, baptized in 1994 and consecrated in Saldus St. John’s church.
In 2000, he was sent to serve in the Old Riga Church of Riga, which, as Grant himself indicates in his way of life, has grown into an active and versatile community within 25 years. Grant has also emphasized that he is particularly inspired by preaching, catechization and disciple in ministry.
In 2017, he was invited to take on the position of Deputy Rector of the Luther Academy. In 2022, consecrated as a bishop.
Grant was a criminal investigator in the investigation department of the Saldus City Police Department from 1993 to 1994, but from 1998 to 2001 worked as a senior inspector at the Interpola office in Latvia.
He has obtained the Bachelor of Rights as well as the qualification of a lawyer at the Police Academy of Latvia. At the University of Latvia, the Faculty of Theology, Grant received a Master’s degree in Theology.
On Saturday, Grant’s « X » was greeted by Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (JV), who also thanked the former Archbishop Vanag for serving for Latvia. « I sincerely congratulate the new Archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Rinald Grant for his election. Let this ministry path are blessed and filled. Thank you to Archbishop Vanags for the unselfish ministry of Latvian society for more than 30 years, » Siliņa said.
Previously, four bidders were nominated for the position of Lutheran Archbishop: Grant, Dean of Piltene District Karlis Irbe, Pastor of the Old Holy Gertrude Church in Riga, Krists Kalniņš and Dean of Ikšķile District Dzintars Laugalis.
After hearing the candidates at the end of last year, the Riga Archdiocese Meeting decided to promote grant and Laugali to the position of Archbishop.
The members of the Synods are archbishop, bishops, members of the supervisor, dancers, church pastors and auxiliaries, evangelist -teachers’ duties and church delegates – churches or persons authorized by parish council.
The process of selecting a new archbishop was launched in connection with the planned retirement of the existing LELB Archbishop Jan Vanag. Hawk has served as Archbishop for more than 30 years. The consecration of the hawk was held at the Riga Dome on August 29, 1993, and it is planned that on August 29, 2025, at the end of his ministry, a solemn Laying of the Archbishop of Vanags will take place.
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