NEWS AND VIEWS: Ukrainian liturgy celebrated in Greece (07/12/98)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Ukrainian liturgy celebrated in Greece

by Rev. Ken Nowakowski
Caritas Ukraine

LVIV - For the past several years, increasing numbers of Ukrainians have been seeking work in Greece, particularly in Athens, Salonica and Patras. In the absence of any organization, it was difficult to gather much specific information about these people, much less to compile accurate statistics. But in January a group of Ukrainians in Athens began publishing a semimonthly newspaper in Ukrainian and Greek, the Visnyk, to serve the needs of the Ukrainian community.

In late February this newspaper came to the attention of Bishop Anargyros of Gratianopolis, apostolic exarch for Byzantine Catholics in Greece, who got in touch with the editors, searching for Ukrainians who might be "Greek-Catholics," to use a term that suddenly took on new significance. The editors themselves are Greek-Catholics, but had not realized that there was such a Church in Greece. Within 24 hours they visited Bishop Anargyros and the Greek-Catholic Holy Trinity Cathedral on Akharnon in Athens, and asked the bishop to arrange a Ukrainian service on Easter April 19.

The Ukrainian community had previously attempted to hold a Christmas service on January 7, but had not been able to find a priest who could speak their language. For the prospective Paschal celebration, Bishop Anargyros requested Archimandrite Serge Keleher to officiate. Archimandrite Serge, who speaks Ukrainian and is familiar with Ukrainian liturgical chant, was already expected to come to Athens for Holy Week and Easter.

In turn, Archimandrite Serge attempted to arrange for some assistance, hoping to bring another priest to hear confessions, a deacon and some chanters from Lviv. This proved impossible, both for lack of funds and the lack of time to arrange travel documents. Nevertheless, the prospective Paschal service was announced in two consecutive issues of the Visnyk.

On Good Friday evening, April 17, several of the Ukrainian community members came to Holy Trinity Church for the very large Epitaphios service, including the street procession. After the service, Yaroslava Radchenko, originally from Chortkiv, met with Archimandrite Serge for about two hours to prepare the music for the Paschal celebration, which was scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sunday, since the Greeks were using their church at midnight.

At 9 a.m. there were only three Ukrainian faithful present, but it was impossible to delay, since there would be another Greek service at 11 a.m., followed by an Arabic service at noon. So, promptly at 9, the procession began. During the first chanting of "Khrystos Voskres," more Ukrainian faithful arrived.

The Rev. Deacon Kevin Gabriel of Holy Trinity Cathedral assisted Archimandrite Serge; Archimandrite Stephen and the Rev. Athanasios were present throughout. The Resurrection Orthros was somewhat abbreviated because of the time constraint; directly after the Paschal homily of St. John Chrysostom the assembly sang "As many as have been baptized..." and the divine liturgy continued with the Epistle and Gospel (read in Greek and Ukrainian).

By the time of the gospel, there were more than 100 Ukrainian faithful, all singing vigorously, even though without prayerbooks. The Greek clergy were amazed that Ukrainians could sing the liturgical texts, almost as if they were one vast choir. Bishop Anargyros entered the cathedral and presided for the actual Eucharist. All the Ukrainian faithful received communion; many of the communicants were literally in tears as they approached the chalice.

Before the dismissal, Bishop Anargyros addressed the Ukrainian faithful, congratulating them on "the Feast of Feasts," assuring them that the should feel welcome at Holy Trinity Cathedral along with the Greeks and others who use the church, and promising them that he and his clergy will always be ready to provide spiritual assistance.

The assembly sang "Mnohaya Lita" (Many Years) for Bishop Anargyros, Archimandrite Stephen (rector of the cathedral), the Rev. Athanasios and Archimandrite Serge.

Following the dismissal, Archimandrite Serge blessed the baskets of Paschal foods; it was the first time that Bishop Anargyros and his clergy had seen this rite, which the Greeks have not used for several centuries. The bishop, the clergy and the faithful then took photographs to mark the occasion.

The Greek service began as scheduled at 11 a.m.; at the bishop's invitation the Ukrainian community assembled in the church hall to share some of the blessed foods, to dance the traditional Ukrainian "hahilky," and to discuss the needs of the Ukrainian faithful. Practically all the community members in Greece are from western Ukraine and are Greek-Catholics.

The number in attendance was actually very low; no one knows how many Ukrainians there are in Greece, but the number is certainly in the thousands. Most of the people are still very poor; the men work in construction and many of the Ukrainian women are employed as care givers for elderly or sick Greeks. Such employment makes it difficult for them to have much time away from the home.

Some Ukrainian women have married Greek men and started families; they are anxious that their children should be baptized and be raised in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.

Ukrainian community members all expressed the hope that as soon as possible a full-time Ukrainian priest can be assigned to Holy Trinity to serve the community in Greece. This will certainly be a demanding assignment, but the experience of the Ukrainian diaspora elsewhere in the world demonstrates that without the Church the Ukrainian community will disappear. Meanwhile, Bishop Anargyros has promised that he will do what he can, and he has asked Archimandrite Serge to return as often as possible until a Ukrainian priest can be appointed.

So far as is known, the Easter service was the very first public divine liturgy ever served in Ukrainian in Greece.