Hyacinthe Destivelle
Hyacinthe Destivelle is a French Catholic Dominican priest and theologian specializing in Catholic ecumenism with Eastern Catholicism and the Orthodox Church. Since 2013, he has been an official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and is regarded as among the Vatican's foremost specialists on relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. He was previously rector of the Church of St. Catherine basilica in Saint Petersburg, the oldest Catholic church in Russia, and a dean of the Archdiocese of Moscow. He is also the younger brother of rock climbing icon Catherine Destivelle.
Early life and education
Laurent Jacques Hubert Destivelle was born September 9, 1970, the fifth of six children and the only son of French engineer Serge Destivelle and his wife Annie, a painting teacher. He has five sisters: Florence, Sophie, Martine, Claire, and Catherine, who is considered one of the greatest female rock climbers in history.As a child, Destivelle was baptized by a Melkite priest and had a Reformed Protestant godfather. He was a Boy Scout, and sang in the famous boys' church choir, the Little Singers of Paris. At age ten, he saw Pope John Paul II speak at Paris–Le Bourget Airport during the Pope's first visit to France in June 1980.
For undergraduate studies, Destivelle attended Sciences Po Bordeaux, graduating in 1992 with a degree in political science. From 1992 to 1993 he did graduate studies at Sciences Po in Paris.
The following year, he was conscripted into the French Navy, serving from 1993 to 1994 aboard the aircraft carrier Foch. Conscription in France ended in 1996.
Destivelle earned his doctorate through a joint program in Paris, earning a doctorate of philosophy in Slavic studies from Sorbonne University, a doctorate of theology from the Catholic University of Paris, and a doctorate in sacred science from the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute. During his studies, he spent time at the Higher School of the Faculty of Philosophy at Saint Petersburg State University from 2003 to 2005. He defended his doctoral thesis, "Reform of the Ecclesial Academies and the Teaching of Orthodox Theology in Russia at the Beginning of the ''20th century''", in Paris, December 11, 2008. His doctoral advisors were historian Francis Conte from Sorbonne University, and theologian Laurent Villemin from the Catholic University of Paris.
While a doctoral candidate, from 2005 to 2010, Destivelle was also director of the Parisian scientific and ecclesial institute, specialized in the field of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue.
Priesthood
In 1994, he entered the Dominican Order and took his monastic vows, adopting the name Hyacinthe in honor of the French Dominican Hyacinthe-Marie Cormier who was beatified the same year. Just after his novitiate, Pope John Paul II released his 1995 encyclical Ut unum sint '', to which Destivelle attributes his career interest in ecumenism. Destivelle was ordained June 23, 2001.Ministry in Russia
From August 2010 to July 2013, Destivelle was Dean of the Northwestern Region of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Russia and Rector of the Church of St. Catherine on Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg, the oldest Catholic church in Russia.Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity
Since July 2013, he has been an official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican. He is also director of the Institute for Ecumenical Studies at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He is considered one of the Vatican's foremost experts on the Russian Orthodox Church and ecumenism with Eastern Catholicism and the Orthodox Church. He has been tapped repeatedly to manage Church relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is closely aligned with the Russian government.On July 7, 2023, he was appointed a as an expert at Pope Francis' Synod on Synodality.