Rijeka, (IKA) – One of the recipients of this year’s annual awards of the Archdiocese of Rijeka is a Catholic lay person from Austria, Georg Kopetzky. The St. Vitas Medallion was awarded to him by Archbishop Ivan Devčić on the recommendation of the Commission for Catholic Associations of the Rijeka Archdiocese.
The commission recognized Kopetzky for his particular engagement in providing impetus for the organized activity of Catholics in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, including Croatia. Through the Catholic institutions Renovabis and Kirche in Not, as well as EU funds, he has assisted in the organization of the lay faithful in Croatia, especially in the Archdiocese of Rijeka, and helped obtain scholarships for numerous graduate students.

Archbishop Devčić awarded ten St. Vitas Medallions to lay persons who merited recognition for their devoted and self-effacing work for the local Church. One person was nominated from each of the seven deaneries, one was recommended by the Commission for Catholic Associations, and two were chosen by Archbishop Ivan Devčić.