1,000 attend funeral for Metropolitan Hermaniuk (05/19/96)

1,000 attend funeral for Metropolitan Hermaniuk

by Frank Guly and Christopher Guly

WINNIPEG - France's Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Michael Hrynchyshyn remembered Archbishop Maxim Hermaniuk as a "highly cultured, well-bred man who was a scholar of the highest order."

Bishop Hrynchyshyn, whom Metropo-litan-emeritus Hermaniuk had ordained to the episcopacy, said his former Ukrainian-rite Redemptorist colleague's life's reward would be to be "promoted to glory in heaven."

The Paris-based bishop delivered the eulogy at an evening prayer service in memory of Archbishop Hermaniuk on May 2 at Ss. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral in Winnipeg - where Metropolitan Hermaniuk himself was consecrated 45 years ago.

Canada's first Ukrainian Catholic metropolitan, who retired in late 1992, died in Winnipeg on May 3. He was 84.

Born in Nove Selo in western Ukraine on October 30, 1911, Metropolitan Hermaniuk was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1938, in Lviv. He was consecrated a bishop on June 29, 1951, and installed as archbishop-metropolitan on February 12, 1957.

More than 1,200 people attended the May 2 priestly parastas for Archbishop Hermaniuk - just two days after 1,800 crowded into the cathedral to attend the funeral of the metropolitan's former secretary, the Rev. Jaropolk Radkewycz, who died in a car crash outside of Winnipeg on April 29. The Rev. Radkewycz also served as vicar-general of the Winnipeg Archeparchy.

Throughout the day on May 9, 1,500 people paid their respects to Archbishop Hermaniuk - whose body lay in state at the cathedral. A ceremonial Knights of Columbus guard kept a constant vigil, as children dressed in Ukrainian costumes approached the casket and women sat quietly in pews holding lit candles.

Mostly, the mourners were reflective - some reading the memorial card in honor of Archbishop Hermaniuk that read, "With glory and honor has God crowned him, and has placed on his head a wreath of precious stones; glory and majesty, you laid upon him, for you have given to him a blessing, now, always and for ever and ever."

Dressed in his bishop's liturgical vestments, the metropolitan held a rosary in his hands - the same one he was found holding in death on the morning of May 3.

Winnipeg's late spring forced clear skies throughout the two-day memorial services for Archbishop Hermaniuk.

A crowd of 1,200 gathered at the cathedral the morning of May 10 to attend the funeral divine liturgy for the metropolitan. His successor, fellow Redemptorist Archbishop-Metropolitan Michael Bzdel, served as the principal celebrant.

Five Latin-rite bishops were in attendance, including the Canadian primate Archbishop Maurice Couture of Quebec City, and Winnipeg Archbishop Leonard Wall.

Among the Ukrainian-rite hierarchy were Toronto's Bishop Isidore Borecky - who, with Archbishop Hermaniuk, was among the last Canadian prelates named to the episcopacy by Pope Pius XII - and Kyiv's newly installed U.S.-born Bishop Lubomyr Husar, who represented Cardinal Myroslav Lubachivsky, archbishop-major of Lviv.

The consecration in Ukraine of Basilian Bishop (Sofron) Mudrij as coadjutor to the Ivano-Frankivske Eparchy prevented more Ukrainian Catholics from attending Metropolitan Hermaniuk's funeral services.

Ukrainian Canadian Chief Justice Benjamin Hewak of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench and former Winnipeg Mayor Bill Norrie also attended the May 10 funeral.

Chicago's Bishop Michael Wiwchar, a Canadian-born Redemptorist, delivered the funeral eulogy in Ukrainian. Latin-rite Archbishop Antoine Hacault of the historical French-speaking Winnipeg Archdiocese of St. Boniface, spoke in English.

Archbishop Hacault praised Archbishop Hermaniuk as a man dedicated to ecumenism and young people. "On the last day of his life, he spent it with the youth, the future of our Church," said Archbishop Hacault, who also spoke in French and Ukrainian.

On the evening of May 2, Metropolitan Hermaniuk had made his last public appearance at a Ukrainian Catholic youth rally marking the 400th anniversary of the Union of Brest - which brought Ukrainians into the Roman church.

Archbishop Hacault recalled the close relationship he and his predecessor, the late Archbishop Maurice Baudoux, enjoyed with Archbishop Hermaniuk. "He had a deep appreciation for the importance of different nationalities in the life of the Church," said Archbishop Hacault.

At a reception following the funeral liturgy, Metropolitan Wasyly Fedak of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada said the news of Archbishop Hermaniuk's death "unquestionably not only saddened Ukrainians in the diaspora, but also those in Ukraine where he was born and enjoyed great respect and prestige."

Metropolitan Fedak, who also serves as archbishop of Winnipeg, called his former Ukrainian Catholic colleague "a person of high calling [who] worthily gave all of himself during his hard-working life with his labors and prayers."

The Rev. Jaroslav Dybka, provincial superior of the Redemptorists in Canada and the United States, told The Weekly that Archbishop Hermaniuk had bequeathed gifts to several cultural and religious groups in the Ukrainian Canadian community.

A Maxim Hermaniuk Fund in support of the training of future Ukrainian Catholics priests will be established, said the Rev. Dybka, who was named by the metropolitan to serve as executor of his estate.

Archbishop Hermaniuk was buried in All Saints Cemetery outside of Winnipeg.

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