Museum-memorial complex built to honor Patriarch Josyf (05/24/98)

Museum-memorial complex built to honor Patriarch Josyf

by Kateryna Rudnytzky

ZAZDRIST, Ukraine - In 1974 Cardinal Josyf Slipyj (1892-1984), head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, asked Dr. Romana Nawrocky, acting president of the St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics founded by Patriarch Josyf to preserve the faith in Ukraine, whether she would do something for him. Cardinal Slipyj had spent 18 years in Siberia and had suffered much on behalf of his Church and his people; his request was a simple one: when Ukraine regains its freedom, "buy back my home." Twenty-five years later, and 12 years after the patriarch's death, the St. Sophia Religious Association has done just that.

Over the last decade, Ukrainians have purchased the homes of many poets, writers and famous historical figures, turning them into commemorative buildings. To continue Patriarch Josyf's lifetime work of prayerful ministry and religious education, St. Sophia purchased Patriarch Josyf's childhood home and is restoring the home and developing surrounding property into a museum-memorial complex that will function as an educational center to teach school children about the patriarch, his ideals and his work for the Ukrainian Catholic Church. To achieve that goal, St. Sophia, which already sponsors numerous educational efforts around the world, has divided the commemorative project into two equally important components: a museum and a memorial.

The museum involves the restoration of Patriarch Josyf's home to its appearance during his childhood years at the turn of the century. The modest house is typical of Ukraine's Podillia region, made of wood, clay and straw.

Once the home is fully restored, project coordinators will seek out furniture appropriate to the period. "We actually have a lot of information on how the place looked," said Dr. Nawrocky, referring to government documents. Researchers are even able to find out what kind of trees and shrubs to replant around the buildings. Only one shed remains on the property and it, too, will be restored. The missing stables and other out-buildings were confiscated and removed to the collective farms under the Soviet regime.

The second half of the project, the Memorial, is a new building dedicated to teaching the values Patriarch Josyf strived to instill in his flock and recognizing the role of the family in faith formation. The Slipyjs were a religious family. Patriarch Slipyj's nephew, Mykhailo, is excited about the project and visits the construction site daily to monitor progress.

The memorial is a two-story U-shaped building with an attic. The ground floor houses a chapel, research library, reception hall, offices, dining room, kitchen and priest's residence; the second floor will have rooms for religious and guests. "We would like nuns to live here," said Dr. Nawrocky, "especially those who tended the patriarch at his death." A stable to the side of the center will be converted into a projection hall for showing visitors films about Patriarch Josyf and Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky. The entire complex will be ideally suited to host retreats, and the location has turned out to be especially auspicious - the village of Zazdrist is located along the projected route of a highway to be built from Portugal to Shanghai.

A good deal of the work on the memorial building has already been completed. The brick structure and roof are in place; electricity and plumbing will be installed in the next phase of construction.

While the building will be entirely modern, it will not in any way resemble stark 20th century Soviet architecture. The appearance of the memorial center was planned with meticulous attention to detail and is being carried out with quality workmanship. The outer walls are all white; the roof is covered with red tile. Copper trim along the building and the copper cupola on the chapel will eventually oxidize into an attractive green hue. The discrete and elegant facade will provide a subtle contrast with the surrounding buildings, suggesting a gentle continuity between Patriarch Josyf's childhood home and the laity's efforts to continue his ministry.

Construction began on April 17, 1995, on the 15th anniversary of the arrest of all priests of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church by the Soviet NKVD (secret police). The project has been blessed with the healthy cooperation between many diverse parties united in a common cause: architectural plans were drawn up by the Lviv Politechnical Institute, funding is provided by the St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics, and the project has the support of the local bishop, town council and village community.

The Slipyj Museum-Memorial is scheduled to be completed in the summer/fall of 1998.