Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Ukrainian Catholic

Question:

What reasoning exists to explain the existence of a Ukrainian "Greek Catholic"/ Uniate/"Eastern Catholic" Church? Was it strictly the work of "conversion by coercion" or is there more to all of this? My own understanding is that through Kyrylo and Methodius, Ukraine's historical spiritual roots are more properly Orthodox than anything else.

Answer:

Dr. Alexander Roman alex.roman@unicorne.org

With respect to the Union of Brest that created the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in 1596, there are a number of views on the precipitating factors.

There was pressure on the Orthodox bishops of the Polish Kingdom to come under a tighter rein from the Poles who wished to religiously and culturally assimilate the Ukrainians and make them into Poles. Their branch of the Jesuit Order was certainly active in promoting the “Unia” as a result.

But even Orthodox commentators on the Union of Brest point to the soured relations between the Kyivan Orthodox Metropolia at the time with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as an important factor leading to union with Rome. The EP established Stauropeghial Brotherhoods in Ukraine with great ecclesial powers. Thus, Orthodox laity had some authority over their own bishops – a situation that the Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan and scholar, Ilarion Ohienko, himself said was the “final straw” that pushed the Orthodox bishops into union with Rome. In addition, there was the pull westward at the time with the strong influences of the European Jesuit schools of learning, the best of their day anywhere, and the attractiveness of closer links with Europe rather than with the “East” that Ukrainians especially started to become weary of. St Peter Mohyla, Metropolitan of Kyiv and others of his day, all world-class scholars and deeply cultured people, looked upon Orthodox Muscovy as “barbarians’ for its lack of respect for learning and European culture. Under the heavy yoke of Turkey, the EP was certainly in no position to have good relations/communications with the Kyivan Orthodox Church.

The EP could only watch helplessly as the Polish Kingdom took control of the Kyivan Metropolia, appointing its bishops, which the EP deeply suspected as being pro-union with Rome. The EP’s appointment of Stauropeghial lay groups over the Kyivan bishops simply made matters worse. Even after the Union of Brest, when the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was without bishops, it was Patriarch Theophane of Jerusalem, travelling from Moscow where he obtained needed finances, who ordained new bishops for the Kyivan Metropolia – but not before “absolving” the Ukrainian Kozaks for having made war on other Orthodox Christians (Russia) with the stern warning to never do so again – not exactly a good situation for our embattled national church!

The “Orthodox in communion with Rome” as they called themselves appeared not to have considered their move to Rome to constitute an actual break with Orthodox tradition – but the break was made and has persisted to this day. The title “Greek-Catholic” was coined by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and it has made a comeback today to differentiate it from the Ukrainian Roman Catholic Church – Ukrainians descended from those Greek-Catholics who refused to join the Russian Orthodox Church when the Soviet Union dissolved the UGCC in 1946. As to the work of Sts Cyril and Methodius among the Slavs, Poles and Czechs (and also the Hussite movement!) who likewise venerate them as their Apostles.

Hopefully, the “Churches of the Kyivan tradition” which includes, Ukrainian Catholics insist, their own Church, will one day become united under a single Patriarchate of Kyiv-Halych and all Ukraine . . . we can dream, can’t we?

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