Since it's New Year's eve and the focus is on putting aside misgivings of the past and beginning fresh and hopefully more enlightened understandings, I am compelled to make an attempt to quell yet again, one of the most common fallacies of our ethnic identification.
In the mid-1990s, the popular band, REM, recorded a song with the title "What's the Frequency Kenneth." It's origins were in a broadcast from CBS, when then evening news anchor, Dan Rather could be heard reciting the phrase repeatedly. Evidently, Dan was having difficulty in the transmission and was appealing to a technician by the name of Kenneth. In some circles of Ukrainian origin there is a similar need to fine tune the frequency.
Now we all are familiar with the rapidly changing political borders which once characterized central and eastern Europe. This environment effected those Slavs coming to the United States during the so-called "first" and "second" immigrations. Among Ukrainians, it was not uncommon for one's paperwork to list the country of origin as Poland, Hungary, Russia, Austria-Hungary, etc., even Galicia or Ruthenia, as no independent Ukraine existed at the time. In fact, it is important to note that the word "Ukrainian" as a name for the descendants of ancient Kyivan-Rus, only came into use in the late 19th. and early 20th. centuries, through the efforts of cultural awakeners of the time.
Before this time, Ukrainians were called by a variety of names, the most popular being, Rusyns, Ruthenians (from the Latin Ruteni), and even the pejorative, Little Russians. Over the centuries, Ruthenians migrated westward, into what is today south-eastern Poland and eastern Slovakia. Even so, the people remained distinct from ethnic Poles and Slovaks, primarily by means of their language and religion. Ruthenians continued to speak their particular dialect of what is today referred to as the Ukrainian language. Depending on time and place, they belonged to either the Greek Catholic or Orthodox churches, both of which use the same Byzantine ritual tradition. They also maintained the cultural arts, styles and traditions of Rus'.
In the early 20th. century, it was common for people from the Carpathian mountain region and its environs, to refer to themselves by a variety of names. The Ukrainian national movement, which took a strong hold in northern Galicia, was stymied to a great extent south of the mountains, by the Hungarian government. This monarchy forbid the use of the Cyrillic alphabet, discouraged the use of the vernacular and perhaps most important of all, put a stop to plans of the Holy See in Rome, to unite the Greek Catholic eparchies of the Carpatho-Rusyns with the Metropolia of Lviv & Galicia. The latter would have been a strong bonding mechanism for the peoples who shared the same heritage. Certainly, Budapest knew this.
Needless to say, while their relatives abroad were going through periods of change, with the fall of the Hapsburg empire and the creation of a short-lived but independent "Carpatho-Ukraine," Carpatho-Rusyns in the US often became confused as to what to call themselves. Many whose family history was from Slovak territory, adopted the name for themselves, even mistakenly referring to the liturgical language heard in church (Church Slavonic), as "Slovak." Slavonic, now a purely literary language, has its roots in ancient Slavic idioms and, written in Cyrillic letters, bears more in common with contemporary Russian and little with modern day Slovak. As a spoken language, that of the Carpatho-Rusyns is considered by scholars, notably Paul Robert Magocsi, to be one of the dialects of Ukrainian.
Ecclesiastical authorities did not help the situation much when in 1924, they divided the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the US into two separate jurisdictions, one for those from Galicia and another for those from the territories Carpatho-Ukraine, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia. The division exists until today, and the United States is the only place in the world where two jurisdictions exist for Greek Catholics from the same tradition.
Why do I bring this up at this time? It's because I'm continually saddened to hear people of Rusyn descent in the USA, refer to themselves AND their ancestral language as Slovak, as they shrill at any mention of the word Ukrainian. One of the most telling examples occurred a couple of months ago, while attending a wake for a long time, pillar member of a nearby Greek Catholic parish (today sometimes called "Byzantine Catholic"). The saddest fact was that not one individual in the parlor still kept faithful to their spiritual heritage and belonged to Greek Catholic or even Orthodox church. Secondarily, some of the mid-aged people, who were most gracious and well-intentioned, thanked me for singing in Slovak, after I had intoned a "Vichnaya Pamyat'" (eternal memory), in Church Slavonic.
What's the frequency here? Well, since the term Ukrainian had not gained universal acceptance at the time of the first immigration, I don't expect some American descendants of Carpatho-Rusyns to suddenly adopt the current name of Ukrainian if they do not want to. However, let's at least give up the convoluted identity with Slovakism and be faithful to the ancient heritage to be found in the land, religion and culture of Rus'. It was in a struggle against this forced "Slovakization" that several bishops, including Pavlo Goijdich & Vasyl Hopko, suffered persecution, imprisonment and tortuous conditions, during the Communist regime in that country.
And for me? I continue to identify myself as I long have, as an American of Ukrainian descent, whose grandparents immigrated to America from the region that is today the Transcarpathian Oblast (Region) of an independent and united Ukraine. That's the frequency folks.
_________________________________________
For further reading see: Pekar, Athanasius, OSBM, The History of the Church in Carpathian Rus', Columbia University Press, 1992
Article I wrote in 2001, "CARPATHO-UKRAINIAN BISHOP PAVLO PETRO GOJDICH, OSBM, BEATIFIED: Victim of Communist Persecution, Slovak Forced Ethnic Assimilation and Russian Orthodox Expansionism".
See also:
Ukrainians
Rusyns
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Another Revival of a Long Closed Show
When I was being encouraged to create this blog, I had no intention of making this the subject of my first installment. However, be things as they may, I cannot help but make another attempt to help English-language readers understand the absurdity of the topic at hand. (I have addressed this matter in multiple articles over the past several years.)
In a letter of December 15, the "Brotherhod of St. Andrew the First Called" (Bratsvo) of the Lviv region of Ukriane, once again makes their preposterous requests for irregular changes to the ecclesiastical structure of the UAOC. The members repeat their tired insistence that the church be placed under the leadership of Metropolitan Konstantyn Bahan of the Ecumencial Patriarchate of Constantinople, with Archbishop Ihor Isichenko, long dismissed from the Synod of the UAOC in Ukraine as "administrator."
Most people are already familiar with the facts surrounding this weary request, so I will spare the details here. Let it suffice to say that from as long ago as 2003, Archbishop Isichenko has not belonged to the UAOC, but instead, runs an small, independent eparchy from Poltava.
Anyone experienced with ecclesiastical polity, knows that it would be impossible for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, a self-governing entity, not in communion with Istanbul at present, to be headed by a bishop of that church. In addition, if the UAOC were to follow the model of the Brotherhood's candidates, it would cease being the UAOC, ie: autocephalous and Ukrainian and become merely another subordinate entity of a foreign church.
As for Metropolitan Konstantyn, who resides in the USA, one must feel a certain sense of sympathy. The good man's name is continually dragged into the ambitions of the "Brotherhood" precipitated by the urgings of Archbishop Isichenko. Vladyka Konstantyn has remained silent. He has never accepted the positions and titles which the Brotherhood's organization repeatedly offered him. How could he? He himself is merely a bishop of the Constantinople Patriarchate, with jurisdiction over a modest number of parishes in the USA and a scattering of presences in other places of the Diaspora. By this arrangement, he is not in communion with or a part of the UAOC.
And the "Bratsvo," while they may have historical significance for the annals of Ukrainian history, having been "stavropigial" to the Ecumenical Throne centuries ago, it is not a secret that in many ways there is no longer a "brotherhood" at all. It's principal players include mostly older and women members. Collectively, few if any, are theologically educated or familiar with church practice. It is therefore an auspicious task for them to singlehandedly attempt to reorganize the structure of the UAOC and undermine the authority of its Predstoyatel (Primate) and Synod of Bishops.
There is irony in a repeated request from the Brotherhood. A frequent visitor to Ukraine and to the "Bratsvo" was Archbishop Vsevelod Maydanskyj, may he rest in peace. He was a known supporter of and key player in the model of unification taken by the bishops of the UOC-USA, becoming titular bishops of Constantinople and an eparchy thereof. The Archbishop died just this past December 16. Was there a deathbed call for another Brotherhood letter? Or was it simply the universal powers that brought together the two events? We can not know for sure, but can only wonder what the Brotherhood will do without their episcopal supporter and advocate before the Byzantine court.
We have a strong leader in the person of Metropolitan Mefodiy, Predstoyatel (Primate) of the UAOC worldwide. He is also a man of wisdom, holiness and vision. I have seen so for myself more than several times. It is he who can lead us into a new time of growth for the church.
May the Archbishop's memory be eternal, and may the members of the Bratsvo learn that the way to real unity in the UAOC is to cooperate together, under the prayerfully wise leadership of our Predstoyatel, Metropolitan Mefodiy.
See:
Lviv Brotherhood Recommends National Assembly of the UAOC Autocephalous Orthodox to Overcome Church Crisis
UAOC Autocephalous Orthodox Call upon Lviv Country Brotherhood of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle for “Christian Moderation and Meekness”
See also:
In a letter of December 15, the "Brotherhod of St. Andrew the First Called" (Bratsvo) of the Lviv region of Ukriane, once again makes their preposterous requests for irregular changes to the ecclesiastical structure of the UAOC. The members repeat their tired insistence that the church be placed under the leadership of Metropolitan Konstantyn Bahan of the Ecumencial Patriarchate of Constantinople, with Archbishop Ihor Isichenko, long dismissed from the Synod of the UAOC in Ukraine as "administrator."
Most people are already familiar with the facts surrounding this weary request, so I will spare the details here. Let it suffice to say that from as long ago as 2003, Archbishop Isichenko has not belonged to the UAOC, but instead, runs an small, independent eparchy from Poltava.
Anyone experienced with ecclesiastical polity, knows that it would be impossible for the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, a self-governing entity, not in communion with Istanbul at present, to be headed by a bishop of that church. In addition, if the UAOC were to follow the model of the Brotherhood's candidates, it would cease being the UAOC, ie: autocephalous and Ukrainian and become merely another subordinate entity of a foreign church.
As for Metropolitan Konstantyn, who resides in the USA, one must feel a certain sense of sympathy. The good man's name is continually dragged into the ambitions of the "Brotherhood" precipitated by the urgings of Archbishop Isichenko. Vladyka Konstantyn has remained silent. He has never accepted the positions and titles which the Brotherhood's organization repeatedly offered him. How could he? He himself is merely a bishop of the Constantinople Patriarchate, with jurisdiction over a modest number of parishes in the USA and a scattering of presences in other places of the Diaspora. By this arrangement, he is not in communion with or a part of the UAOC.
And the "Bratsvo," while they may have historical significance for the annals of Ukrainian history, having been "stavropigial" to the Ecumenical Throne centuries ago, it is not a secret that in many ways there is no longer a "brotherhood" at all. It's principal players include mostly older and women members. Collectively, few if any, are theologically educated or familiar with church practice. It is therefore an auspicious task for them to singlehandedly attempt to reorganize the structure of the UAOC and undermine the authority of its Predstoyatel (Primate) and Synod of Bishops.
There is irony in a repeated request from the Brotherhood. A frequent visitor to Ukraine and to the "Bratsvo" was Archbishop Vsevelod Maydanskyj, may he rest in peace. He was a known supporter of and key player in the model of unification taken by the bishops of the UOC-USA, becoming titular bishops of Constantinople and an eparchy thereof. The Archbishop died just this past December 16. Was there a deathbed call for another Brotherhood letter? Or was it simply the universal powers that brought together the two events? We can not know for sure, but can only wonder what the Brotherhood will do without their episcopal supporter and advocate before the Byzantine court.
We have a strong leader in the person of Metropolitan Mefodiy, Predstoyatel (Primate) of the UAOC worldwide. He is also a man of wisdom, holiness and vision. I have seen so for myself more than several times. It is he who can lead us into a new time of growth for the church.
May the Archbishop's memory be eternal, and may the members of the Bratsvo learn that the way to real unity in the UAOC is to cooperate together, under the prayerfully wise leadership of our Predstoyatel, Metropolitan Mefodiy.
See:
Lviv Brotherhood Recommends National Assembly of the UAOC Autocephalous Orthodox to Overcome Church Crisis
UAOC Autocephalous Orthodox Call upon Lviv Country Brotherhood of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle for “Christian Moderation and Meekness”
See also:
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