Fr Martin Dimnik (1941–2020)
It is with sadness that we report the loss of Fr Martin Dimnik.
Fr Martin Janez Dimnik, CSB died peacefully at Presentation Manor on November 15, 2020. Fr Dimnik was born on October 6, 1941, in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, the son of the late Martin Dimnik and Zorka Perlić. He is survived by his sister Susan Revai (Gene), his niece Adrienne, nephew Gene Jr (Tina), grandniece Sophie, and many cousins. The family emigrated to Austria in 1943, and to Canada in 1949, settling first in Raymond, Alberta, and then in Lethbridge. Martin attended elementary and high school in Lethbridge, graduating from St Francis High School in 1960. He then entered St Basil’s Novitiate, Richmond Hill, taking first vows on August 15, 1961.
After profession he went to live at St Basil’s Seminary while taking his university course in Slavic Studies. He received his BA degree in 1965 and then taught for two years at St Michael’s College School. He took his theology at St Basil’s Seminary and at the Toronto School of Theology and received the degree of Master of Divinity in the fall of 1971. He also obtained an MA degree in Slavic Languages and Literatures in 1970. He was ordained to priesthood on June 26, 1971, by Cardinal George Flahiff in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Lethbridge.
After earning his D.Phil. from Oxford in 1976, Martin was appointed to the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in Toronto, where he remained for the rest of his academic career, serving as Institute Secretary, Praeses, and Academic Dean in addition to publishing numerous articles and books on Kyivan Rus’.
In 2014 he moved to the Basilian Fathers Retirement Residence. In November 2018 Fr Dimnik moved with the Basilian Fathers Retirement Community to Presentation Manor (Scarborough).
In light of the current pandemic, there will be a Memorial Mass for Fr Dimnik at a later date. Burial will be at the Basilian plot at Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill, ON. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Basilian Fathers Retirement Fund, 95 St Joseph Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3C2.