Patriarch Filaret visits parish in Bloomingdale, Ill. (11/19/06)

Patriarch Filaret visits parish in Bloomingdale, Ill.

by Taras Konowal

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. - On Saturday, October 28, Patriarch Filaret visited St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bloomingdale, Ill. The patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate had been invited to this community meeting by the committee Rukh for a Recognized Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It had been over three years since Patriarch Filaret had last visited Chicago.

The patriarch was making the trip to Chicago to celebrate the 55th anniversary of St. Sophia Parish in Chicago, which was one of the first in the United States to convert to the Kyivan Patriarchate.

Patriarch Filaret was greeted at the front of the church with a large gathering of the Ukrainian community, including Ukraine's Consul General Vasyl Korzachenko, a color guard of Ukrainian Americans from Chicago, youths from the Association of American Youth of Ukrainian Descent (ODUM), members of the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms of Ukraine and clergy from parishes throughout the Chicagoland area.

The patriarch laid a memorial wreath and led a prayer service at the monument dedicated to those murdered in the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. The prayer was followed by the singing of "Vichnaya Pamiat" (Eternal Memory). Patriarch Filaret then proceeded to a special section of St. Andrew Cemetery that is reserved for soldiers of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and blessed all the graves.

The procession then entered the church for a joint memorial liturgy honoring those who died during the genocidal Famine, along with the Orthodox clergy who were murdered by the communists in the years 1921-1925. During his sermon, Patriarch Filaret spoke about the horrors that Ukraine has endured in the last century. He spoke about the importance of remembering those who perished from hunger, along with the Church leaders, such as Metropolitan Vasyl Lypkivsky, who were tortured and murdered because of their beliefs and dedication to Ukraine and its holy Church.

The day's events were capped off with a reception for the patriarch in the church auditorium. The master of ceremonies was Lesia Tatarko, who eloquently described the tremendous work the patriarch has been doing in Ukraine for the Church and for the independent nation.

John Jaresko, the president of both the Rukh Committee and the St. Andrew Parish board, gave a speech about the importance of Ukrainians worldwide joining together in one United national Church under the leadership of Patriarch Filaret. Mr. Jaresko quoted Symon Petliura, who stated that a nation cannot truly be an independent state if it does not have its own national army, its own national language and also its own national Church.

Mr. Jaresko also congratulated Patriarch Filaret on the 11th anniversary of his patriarchal enthronement and on the occasion of the presentation of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (second degree) to him by President Viktor Yushchenko on October 25.

Ms. Tatarko gave a speech about the First All-Ukraine Orthodox Sobor that occurred in 1921. This Sobor created the independent Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Bishop Lypkivsky was elevated to metropolitan of Ukraine via the laying of the hands by all clergy in attendance. These same clergymen and church hierarchs were then summarily arrested, tortured and in many cases murdered for their participation in this Sobor.

Mr. Korzachenko, the consul general of Ukraine in Chicago, greeted the patriarch on his visit to Chicago, noting the many moving and patriotic sermons that he has heard the patriarch deliver over the years in Kyiv. He spoke of the importance of unifying the Church into one national Church under Patriarch Filaret and thanked the patriarch for all of his years of dedicated work for the good of Ukraine and its spiritual base.

Mykola Mischenko, the president of the Ukrainian Genocide Famine Foundation - U.S.A., spoke about the success Ukrainians are having in informing the world about the Famine in Ukraine in 1932-1933. He also stated that the Famine is now recognized as a genocide by over 60 nations, while the government in Ukraine still has not adopted a law proclaiming the Famine a genocide.

The choir of St. Andrew Church performed two liturgical pieces, "Slava na Nebi Bohu" and "Khvalit Imya Hospodnie," under the baton of its director, Taras Rudenko.

The Rev. Archimandrite Ivan Krotec, the pastor of Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, spoke about the importance of close cooperation between the Ukrainian Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholics, citing examples of this in the Chicago metropolitan area. Father Krotec's parish found its first temporary home at St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church while their church was under construction. He stressed that such close cooperation is critical to the continuing development of a strong independent Ukrainian state.

Patriarch Filaret spoke at length about subjects that are of importance to Ukrainian communities in the diaspora, such as the recognition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as an independent Church by Moscow and Constantinople. He asked some very pointed questions: The Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarch is made up of 10 million adult members. Why do we Ukrainians need foreigners' approval to have an independent Church?

Moscow and Constantinople are afraid of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church because it would become the largest recognized Orthodox Church in the world, Patriarch Filaret continued. He explained that the Russian Church is one of Russia's last tentacles that are still woven into Ukraine, and Russia will fight extremely hard to keep this tentacle active. Once Ukraine cuts this tentacle off, it will limit Russia's influence on Ukrainian society and help strengthen Ukraine's independent status.

The patriarch also explained that his internal battles in Ukraine's government are strongest from two factions: the Socialist Party led by Natalia Vitrenko and the Communist Party. Ms. Vitrenko has continuously fought anything Ukrainian and keeps pushing for closer ties to Russia, and it is amazing that the communists are getting involved in religion when they don't believe in God, Patriarch Filaret said, adding that the Communist Party destroyed churches, monasteries and everything religious when they were in power.

Patriarch Filaret concluded his speech by saying that God continues to guide him and gives him strength and energy in his work toward a single unified independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The evening's events were concluded with a performance of the "Hopak" by the Hromovytsia Dance Ensemble from Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church followed by the singing of "Bozhe Velykyi."

| Home Page |