By Konstantin Peter |@KostantinPeter
Leskovac, Strazia – Eastoria is mourning the death of Archbishop Andreas Eberharter, the first Roman Catholic Archbishop of Leskovac, who passed away peacefully at the age of 88. His death marks the end of a spiritual era for Eastoria’s Catholic community, especially in Leskovac, where he laid the foundation of what is today one of the country’s most active archdioceses.
Appointed in 1993 following the elevation of the Diocese of Leskovac to an Archdiocese, Eberharter served as its first Archbishop until his retirement in 2012. Known for his calm wisdom, unshakable devotion, and bridge-building efforts across denominations, Archbishop Eberharter was a towering presence in Eastoria’s post-communist religious awakening.
Tributes poured in from across the country. President Luke Koenig, through a statement from the Laeken House, described Eberharter as “a man of extraordinary faith whose moral authority transcended religious boundaries.” The Apostolic Nuncio to Eastoria, Archbishop Luigi Balza, praised Eberharter’s “life of quiet brilliance and steadfast service to both Rome and Leskovac.” The Archbishop of Leskovac, Sebastian Markovic, also expressed his sorrow, saying, “Eastoria has lost not just a churchman, but a father of faith.”
Faithful across the country held candlelight vigils in his memory, with bells tolling at noon in Leskovac, Lucerne, and Witsbank. In Diekirch, where Eberharter studied as a seminarian in the 1950s, the Basilica of St. Bastian will hold a special mass in his honor.
Born in 1937 in Hallein, in the Norbotten Region, Andreas Eberharter was ordained in 1961 and rose through clerical ranks steadily. He studied theology in Linz and Rome, eventually serving as rector of the St. Ignatius Seminary in Rohrbach. His theological writings focused on reconciliation, civic virtue, and the sacred role of public service in a secular society. As Archbishop, he prioritized youth catechesis, interfaith cooperation, and the restoration of war-damaged churches, most notably the Cathedral of St. Adrian in Leskovac.
He retired in 2012 but remained a quiet adviser to his successor and a regular figure at major religious and national events. His final years were spent at the Jesuit Retreat House in Kempton, in the Ostfold Region, where he continued to write and reflect until his health declined.
According to church officials, Archbishop Eberharter will lie in state at the Cathedral of St. Adrian beginning Monday. A full state funeral mass is scheduled for Thursday day, with dignitaries, clergy, and the faithful expected to attend. He will be interred in the crypt beneath the cathedral he helped restore—a fitting resting place for a man who devoted his life to building not only walls of stone, but pillars of faith.
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