LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (09/01/96)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

St. Sophia sidewalk not appropriate grave

Dear Editor:

The Church's stubbornness, militancy and unwillingness to "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" forced the Ukrainian government to capitulate by allowing the erection of a memorial over the sidewalk grave of Patriarch Volodymyr.

Legend has it that Apostle Andrew blessed the hills of present-day Kyiv. All the land of Ukraine is sanctified with the blood of our ancestors. Common sense tells us that to be buried in Ukrainian soil, anywhere (not beneath a sidewalk), would be honorable and a proper place to have eternal rest.

Why did the Church leaders pick St. Sophia for the patriarch's burial place? Who are those leaders who knowingly led innocent, gullible mourners into the wall of riot police who had the "ugly" duty to protect the laws of the land and themselves?

Even a memorial the size of a pyramid would not correct the shameful spectacle made of the patriarch's funeral. It is done and recorded, and the peoples of the world will read about it on the pages of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" and will marvel at our "wisdom" for years to come.

How sad that "a 10th century treasure" will now become a gravesite of ever-feuding patriarchs of Ukraine. Unfortunately, as sure as there is a tomorrow, not being able to tolerate each others' religious differences, the St. Sophia site will become a mecca for fist fights and name-calling.

Where is the Church's piety, humility and its teachings about good and evil? The Church should distance itself from the craze of costly memorials and set an example to those who in these trying times are tearing the very shirt from Ukraine's back to finance self-glorifying monuments. As for our late Patriarch Volodymyr, he should be buried, or rather reburied, at St. Volodymyr Cathedral or at Baikiv Cemetery - not under a sidewalk.

Let's give him a Christian burial without sticks, stones and riot police, and the ever-present "crusaders" of UNA/UNSO. This would please God and Ukraine, and give eternal peace to Patriarch Volodymyr.

Ivan Jaciw
Windsor, Ontario

Florida community welcomed Shcherbak sador

Dear Editor:

The Ukrainian community in Florida awaited the arrival of Ambassador Yuri Shcherbak with joy and anticipation. On March 8 the ambassador met with Gov. Lawton Chiles and other high-ranking officials in Tallahassee. His next stop was the Ukrainian American community in North Port, which is the cultural and social center of a large Ukrainian settlement. St. Andrew Religious and Cultural Center plus the new St. Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church and other religious denominations attract droves of winter and summer visitors. During the winter season the North Port area is a beehive of cultural, educational and social activities.

On Saturday, March 9, the ambassador was joyously welcomed to our community with the traditional bread and salt, and a get-acquainted breakfast at the Boca Royale Golf & Country Club. The spacious dining room overlooking the golf course was packed with guests eager to meet the ambassador and his charming wife, Mary. The ambassador confined himself to a few words pertaining to the 10th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy and the help needed to care for the growing number of sick due to radiation; the help the Ukrainian athletes need for equipment, etc. for the Olympic Games in Atlanta; and the upcoming 5th anniversary celebration of Ukrainian independence.

After breakfast the ambassador and his wife walked to each table, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with everyone, thus endearing themselves to all. The feeling in the dining room was spiritually uplifting, and in our opinion the ambassador is a first-class diplomat. The breakfast committee was headed by Lesia Tatarko, and the master of ceremonies was Dr. Korol. It was truly an elegant affair.

In the evening the ambassador was a guest speaker during the Taras Shevchenko memorial concert held at St. Andrew Cultural Center. The main theme of his speech was poetry of the great bard. His opinion of poetry was precise, reverent, deeply analytical and most likely many listeners began to understand Shevchenko's poetry in a new and more profound light. Artist of Ukraine Yaroslav Maksymchuk recited a number of Shevchenko's poems with a depth and emotion that brought tears to many in the audience.

It must be acknowledged with pride that the concert was a combined effort of the local communities and with available local talent. The choir performed melodiously and on the whole the concert was a huge success both spiritually and financially. President of St. Andrew's, Roman Shramenko, opened the program with appropriate remarks, and Ms. Tatarko was mistress of ceremonies.

Sunday, March 10, the ambassador visited the Ukrainian American community in St. Petersburg.

On Monday, March 11, a public meeting was held at 2 p.m. at the St. Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church. George D. Mullen, chief commissioner of the town (North Port operates without a mayor), presented the ambassador with a proclamation naming him a "Honorary Citizen of the City of North Port." The ambassador then delivered an hour-long speech on the state of Ukraine's health; its past, present and future prospects; its economy; privatization program; state of the new constitution; international relations; expanded cooperation with the United States and the help the Ukrainian community provides and how badly that help is needed in Ukraine.

The ambassador presented to several members of our community a "hramota" plaque as a thank-you gesture for their service to Ukraine. The meeting was moderated by Ukrainian activist Yaroslav Haywas.

The sponsorship of the ambassador's visit was undertaken jointly by the local branches of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America headed respectively by Michael Belendiuk and Jaroslav Kostyshyn. Both men contributed an inordinate amount of their time and effort to assure that the reception of Ambassador Shcherbak was smooth and dignified as behooves the representative of an independent country.

As with all public affairs, mistakes were made that should be avoided in the future. It was a mistake not to invite the city officials to participate in welcoming ceremo-nies for the ambassador. At the insistence of the publicity committee, the mistake was corrected at the last moment. The committee was also frustrated time and again in their effort to generate appropriate newspaper and TV coverage for the ambassador's visit, due to the self-glorification of some people who place their personal ambitions above the good of the community.

Joseph Iwaniw
Venice, Fla.