John Pommers Explained

Archbishop John (Latvian: Аrhibīskaps Jānis, Russian: Архиепископ Иоанн, secular name Jānis Pommers or Ivan Andreyevich Pommer, Russian: Иван Андреевич Поммер; 6 (18) January 1876 – 29 September (12 October) 1934) was the first Latvian Archbishop of the Latvian Orthodox Church,^[1] serving from 1921 to his assassination in 1934. He was also involved in politics, and was the leader of the Party of the Orthodox.^[2]

Biography

His great-grandfather had been a Latvian convert to Orthodoxy, which was hoped to help any fears Orthodoxy was too Russian in orientation. He proved significant to the Church and gained its recognition in 1926.^[3]

He was elected to the Saeima in the 1925 elections on the Party of the Orthodox list, and was re-elected in 1928 and 1931, serving as an MP from 1925 to 1934.^[4] This involved some controversy as the Left feared he was Monarchist while Russian monarchists feared he was a Latvian nationalist.^[5]

The Latvian Orthodox Church's Order of the Saint Martyr Archbishop of Riga and Latvia John (Janis Pommers) is named for him.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Erwin Fahlbusch. Geoffrey William Bromiley. The Encyclopedia of Christianity. 2003. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 978-0-8028-2415-8. 201.
2. Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, pp459–460
3. Book: John Anthony McGuckin. The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, 2 Volume Set. 15 December 2010. John Wiley & Sons. 978-1-4443-9254-8. 367.
4. Book: Lucian Leustean. Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations Lucian Leustean. Eastern Christianity and the Cold War, 1945–91. 21 January 2010. Routledge. 978-1-135-23382-2. 204.
5. Andis Kudors. Orthodoxy and politics in Latvia
6. http://www.president.lv/pk/content/?art_id=10961 President of Latvia receives the Order of Janis Pommers from the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of Riga and Latvia in Riga Orthodox Cathedral of the Birth of Christ On the Second Day of Easter, 9 April, 2007