Following is a statement on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky that was released by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America on July 27.
July 29 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of an individual whose dedication, sacrifice and deep religious faith transformed the lives of countless Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians alike.
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was born in 1865 in the Ukrainian village of Prylbychi into a wealthy family. At the age of 26, he entered the Ukrainian monastery of the Order of St. Basil the Great and by 1900 was made Bishop of Stanyslaviv. Shortly afterwards, at the age of 36, he became the ranking hierarch of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, taking upon himself the post of metropolitan until his death in 1944.
Metropolitan Andrey lived his life as a sterling example for others of virtue, kindness and sacrifice. He served as an active pastor to his flock, used his personal wealth to help fund numerous philanthropic programs, wrote prolifically and was a gifted preacher. He traveled widely and maintained constant contact with his flock in Europe, and North and South America. Most notably, Metropolitan Andrey led his people and his Church through two world wars.
He himself was arrested by Russian tsarist forces during the first world war, and later was kept under house arrest by Nazi authorities during the second world war. He courageously risked his life to save many Jews from the Nazis during World War II, particularly Jewish children, many of whom were orphaned. He harbored hundreds of Jews in his residence and in Ukrainian Catholic monasteries. He also issued a pastoral letter titled “Thou Shalt Not Kill” to protest Nazi atrocities.
Metropolitan Andrey died in Lviv in 1944 as the Red Army occupied his city, never to know that his beloved Church would be forced into the catacombs and many of his flock persecuted by the Soviets. For nearly half a century the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church remained outlawed and in hiding. Yet, with the fall of the Soviet Union, the Church came out of hiding with millions of faithful, thousands of priests and parishes. Many believed the Church’s miraculous survival can be attributed to Metropolitan Andrey. It is for this miracle and his heroic virtues that the process of his beautification and canonization is under way.
Metropolitan Andrey believed in the principles of self-sacrifice, virtue and kindness. He is an example to us all. On the 150th anniversary of his birth, let us pray for the repose of his soul and honor his lasting and inspirational legacy.