Pedro Opeka - Early Life

Early Life

Opeka was born in Argentina, in San Martín, a suburb of Buenos Aires, to parents of Argentine Slovene parents. His father was from Begunje near Cerknica in Inner Carniola, his mother from Velike Lašče in Lower Carniola; they emigrated to Argentina to avoid the Communist Yugoslav regime of Josip Broz Tito. His father was a former Home Guard militiaman who escaped the summary killings in Kočevski Rog. He met with his mother, also a political refugee, in a Slovenian refugee camp in Italy, where they married. After marriage, they emigrated together to Argentina.

Pedro grew up in the streets of Buenos Aires. Very early as a child, from the age of 9, he worked with his father as a bricklayer. At 15, he hesitated between becoming a football professional and a priest. And he eventually decided to become a priest and enter the seminary of the Lazarists in Buenos Aires. At 20, he went to Ljubljana in Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia), to further his training. Two years later, In 1970, he went to Madagascar where he worked as a bricklayer in the parishes of the Lazarists.

He finished his studies at the Catholic Institute of Paris (1972-1975), where he learnt French. He met the Taizé Community near Cluny in France, who have their members supporting communities in 24 major cities around the globe, and travelled all over Europe.

Pedro Opeka speaks 7 languages of which French, English, Spanish (his mother tongue), Slovenian (second mother tongue), Italian, Latin and Magalasy (Madagascar).