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Orthodoxy in the trans-Carpathian region, and immigrant experience in America

Question:

I recently heard an interesting story about immigrants from the trans-Carpathian region of Europe who arrived in Philadelphia a century ago and, naturally, decided to form their own parish. Although most thought of themselves as Orthodox, they were from a region (Ukraine and Polish Galicia) that had long ago accepted the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as their patriarch. Soon after starting their parish and inviting a married priest from the old country to serve as pastor, they signed the deed to their property over to the Roman Catholic bishop of Philadelphia. As I understand it, he promptly fired the pastor and put his own priest in, and before long the iconostasis was gone and church was soon Roman rite. This did not go over well with many in the parish, who started a new Orthodox church that they aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate. I’m wondering if you can explain the background history of Orthodoxy in the trans-Carpathian area and how some people there became affiliated with Rome. Also, was the experience of these immigrants to Philadelphia unusual?

Response:

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

I shall attempt a very simplified version of this history. Prior to 1596, the Orthodox Church in the Kyivan Metropolia was one - and under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. That year the majority of the Bishops of the Metropolia, for a number of reasons including political pressures and conflicts, entered into a Union with the Pope of Rome, according to the terms of which they would keep their rites, traditions (which included married clergy) and, essentially, their theological vision, while acknowledging the authority of the Primate of Rome. This laid the foundations for a separate "Uniate" (considered by many to be a pejorative term) "Greco-Catholic" Church, as the majority of the populace of the Metropolia ultimately rejected this Union and returned to Constantinople, which saw to the consecration of another hierarchy. In 1686 the Metropolia of Kyiv was placed under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow due to hard times for Constantinople (an action that was essentially repudiated in 1924 as uncanonical because done under duress).

Separated from the rest of the Orthodox world, the Greco-Catholics nonetheless retained a good portion of their distinctiveness, and the last century has seen a growing movement to recover the rest - while retaining communion with the Pope of Rome (which, at this point, paradoxically includes accepting the Papal vision of universal authority as the successor of St. Peter). Greco-Catholics (essentially ethnically Ukrainian, while some view themselves as "Rusyns") who immigrated to North America brought their traditions and their vision with them. It was hard for Roman Catholic hierarchs to accept this vision, especially since this included married clergy and they tried to change things. They barred married clergy and Icon screens and sought to Latinize the flock.

As a result some married priests, chief among them Fr. Alexander Toth of Carpatho-Ukraine (often called "Carpatho-Russia"), entered into the jurisdiction of the Metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church in North America, today called the "Orthodox Church in America". (He was canonized by the OCA at the end of the last century). There they were able to keep their distinctive traditions and vision, although this came to include accepting a perspective on language and culture which was more Russian than Ukrainian or Rusyn. Some Greco-Catholics, especially in Canada, formed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has recently come under the jurisdiction of Constantinople as a de-facto autonomous Church.

The situation you describe in Philadelphia is, as you may note, very similar to that of many other locales in the United States and Canada.

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Reactions previously posted:
By: Alex Roman Bless Father! Thank you for your excellent response! The Carpatho-Ruthenians affirm they are a separate national group, one of the four East Slavic peoples in fact. They have, as you know, both Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. How should Ukrainians approach this issue, culturally and spiritually? Kissing your right hand, I again implore your blessing, Alex Roman

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