Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve
Encyclopedia
The Eparchy of Mukacheve
is an eparchy
(diocese) of the Ruthenian Catholic Church
, with territory located in the west of Ukraine
.
The eparchy, like the entire Ruthenian Catholic Church, is in full communion
with the Roman Catholic Church
. Its parishes observe the Byzantine Rite
which is also celebrated by the majority of Orthodox
Christians, and as provided for in the original terms of the Union of Uzhhorod
. The eparchy is directly subject to the Holy See
.
in the ninth century. The 14th century saw the founding of the famous St. Nicholas Monastery on "Chernecha Hora" or "Hill of Monks" located in the city. Many believe that from that point, the Eparchy of Mukacheve evolved into the entity as we know it today. The bishops resided at the Monastery and administered ecclesiastical affairs from there until 1766. After the union with Rome and until 1946, the Monastery of St. Nicholas was also the principal religious house of the monks of the Order of Saint Basil the Great
(OSBM), also called Basilian monks.
The bishops, clergy and faithful of this eparchy were originally Orthodox Christians under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople
. In 1646, following the example of their compatriots across the Carpathian Mountains
in Galicia (current day Western Ukraine), who in 1596 established the Union of Brest
, the people of the Mukacheve eparchy united with the Roman See
under what is known as the Union of Uzhhorod. In the political and spiritual climate of the day, union with Rome was considered by many to be a productive solution to promoting both the welfare of the people and the church. Following a model similar to that proposed at the Council of Florence
, the people were allowed to maintain their Byzantine Rite spiritual, liturgical and canonical traditions, while recognizing the Roman Pontiff
as the head of the universal church.
On September 19, 1771, after decades of efforts on the part of the bishops of Mukacheve for recognition as a fully self-governing ecclesiastical entity, free from the control of the Latin Catholic bishops of Eger
in Hungary
, the Empress Maria Theresa issued a decree, subsequently approved by Rome, that created a jurisdictionally independent Mukacheve Eparchy no longer subordinate to the Latin Rite ordinary
. It was also at this time that the faithful of the eparchy formally became known as Greek Catholics. During the episcopate of Bishop Andrii Bachynskyij (1772-1809), the eparchy retained its historic name but its seat was moved to Uzhhorod (1780), where it remains to this day. The Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Uzhhorod is the seat of the eparchy.
Following the Second World War and the occupation of Carpatho-Ukraine
by the Soviet regime, the Greek Catholic Church was liquidated in 1949. All properties were allocated to the Russian Orthodox Church
and the clergy and many faithful exiled to concentration camps. The bishop of Mukacheve during this time was Theodore Romzha
. In 1947, Bishop Romzha was poisoned by NKVD
(predecessor of the KGB
) authorities. During the Soviet years, the Greek Catholic Church in Galicia, Transcarpathia
and Slovakia continued to operate secretly in the underground.
With the advent of the collapse of the Soviet Union
, many priests and faithful of the Eparchy of Mukacheve came out of the catacombs
. The eparchy was allowed to officially renew its activities in 1989. Bishop Ivan Semedi
, who had been secretly consecrated during the persecution years, was the first bishop to freely perform his ministry in over 40 years.
Mukacheve
Mukachevo or Mukacheve is a city located in the valley of the Latorica river in the Zakarpattia Oblast , in southwestern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Mukachivskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
is an eparchy
Eparchy
Eparchy is an anglicized Greek word , authentically Latinized as eparchia and loosely translating as 'rule over something,' like province, prefecture, or territory, to have the jurisdiction over, it has specific meanings both in politics, history and in the hierarchy of the Eastern Christian...
(diocese) of the Ruthenian Catholic Church
Ruthenian Catholic Church
The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church , which uses the Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan Byzantine Eastern Rite. Its roots are among the Rusyns who lived in the region called Carpathian Ruthenia, in and around the Carpathian Mountains...
, with territory located in the west of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
The eparchy, like the entire Ruthenian Catholic Church, is in full communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Its parishes observe the Byzantine Rite
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
which is also celebrated by the majority of Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Christians, and as provided for in the original terms of the Union of Uzhhorod
Union of Uzhhorod
The Union of Uzhhorod, also referred to as Union of Ungvár, was the 1646 decision of 63 Ruthenian Orthodox priests from the south slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, then within the Kingdom of Hungary, to join the Catholic Church on terms similar to the Union of Brest from 1596 in the lands of the...
. The eparchy is directly subject to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
History
Some historians believe that the origins of the eparchy are to be found in the missionary work of Saints Cyril and MethodiusSaints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century. They became missionaries of Christianity among the Slavic peoples of Bulgaria, Great Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they...
in the ninth century. The 14th century saw the founding of the famous St. Nicholas Monastery on "Chernecha Hora" or "Hill of Monks" located in the city. Many believe that from that point, the Eparchy of Mukacheve evolved into the entity as we know it today. The bishops resided at the Monastery and administered ecclesiastical affairs from there until 1766. After the union with Rome and until 1946, the Monastery of St. Nicholas was also the principal religious house of the monks of the Order of Saint Basil the Great
Order of Saint Basil the Great
The Order of St. Basil the Great also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat is an monastic religious order of the Greek Catholic Churches that is present in many countries and that has its Mother House in Rome. The order received approbation on August 20, 1631...
(OSBM), also called Basilian monks.
The bishops, clergy and faithful of this eparchy were originally Orthodox Christians under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
. In 1646, following the example of their compatriots across the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
in Galicia (current day Western Ukraine), who in 1596 established the Union of Brest
Union of Brest
Union of Brest or Union of Brześć refers to the 1595-1596 decision of the Church of Rus', the "Metropolia of Kiev-Halych and all Rus'", to break relations with the Patriarch of Constantinople and place themselves under the Pope of Rome. At the time, this church included most Ukrainians and...
, the people of the Mukacheve eparchy united with the Roman See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
under what is known as the Union of Uzhhorod. In the political and spiritual climate of the day, union with Rome was considered by many to be a productive solution to promoting both the welfare of the people and the church. Following a model similar to that proposed at the Council of Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
, the people were allowed to maintain their Byzantine Rite spiritual, liturgical and canonical traditions, while recognizing the Roman Pontiff
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
as the head of the universal church.
On September 19, 1771, after decades of efforts on the part of the bishops of Mukacheve for recognition as a fully self-governing ecclesiastical entity, free from the control of the Latin Catholic bishops of Eger
Eger
Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, the Empress Maria Theresa issued a decree, subsequently approved by Rome, that created a jurisdictionally independent Mukacheve Eparchy no longer subordinate to the Latin Rite ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
. It was also at this time that the faithful of the eparchy formally became known as Greek Catholics. During the episcopate of Bishop Andrii Bachynskyij (1772-1809), the eparchy retained its historic name but its seat was moved to Uzhhorod (1780), where it remains to this day. The Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Uzhhorod is the seat of the eparchy.
Following the Second World War and the occupation of Carpatho-Ukraine
Carpatho-Ukraine
Carpatho-Ukraine was an autonomous region within Czechoslovakia from late 1938 to March 15, 1939. It declared itself an independent republic on March 15, 1939, but was occupied by Hungary between March 15 and March 18, 1939, remaining under Hungarian control until the Nazi occupation of Hungary in...
by the Soviet regime, the Greek Catholic Church was liquidated in 1949. All properties were allocated to the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
and the clergy and many faithful exiled to concentration camps. The bishop of Mukacheve during this time was Theodore Romzha
Theodore Romzha
Blessed Theodore Romzha was bishop of the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1944 to 1947. Assassinated by Stalin's NKVD, he was beatified as a martyr by Pope John Paul II on June 27, 2001.-Early life:...
. In 1947, Bishop Romzha was poisoned by NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
(predecessor of the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
) authorities. During the Soviet years, the Greek Catholic Church in Galicia, Transcarpathia
Carpathian Ruthenia
Carpathian Ruthenia is a region in Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast , with smaller parts in easternmost Slovakia , Poland's Lemkovyna and Romanian Maramureş.It is...
and Slovakia continued to operate secretly in the underground.
With the advent of the collapse of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, many priests and faithful of the Eparchy of Mukacheve came out of the catacombs
Catacombs
Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...
. The eparchy was allowed to officially renew its activities in 1989. Bishop Ivan Semedi
Ivan Semedi
Ivan Semedi was bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1983 to 2002.-Life:Ivan Semedi was born in Mala Kopanya on 21 June 1921. He was ordained a Priest at the age of 26. On August 24, 1978 he was consecrated bishop of Mukacheve, Ukraine. He held the post for 24 years until he retired in 2002. He...
, who had been secretly consecrated during the persecution years, was the first bishop to freely perform his ministry in over 40 years.
Eparchs
The list of the eparchs (bishops) of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve is:- after the Union of UzhhorodUnion of UzhhorodThe Union of Uzhhorod, also referred to as Union of Ungvár, was the 1646 decision of 63 Ruthenian Orthodox priests from the south slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, then within the Kingdom of Hungary, to join the Catholic Church on terms similar to the Union of Brest from 1596 in the lands of the...
the Eparchy of Mukacheve united with Rome - Basil Taraszovics, 1634-1648
- Parthenius Petrovics, 1648-1670
- Joseph Volosinovszky, 1674
- Porphyr Kulcsinszky, 1683
- Yosyp de Kamelis (Joseph de Camillis), 1690-1706
- Yosyp Hodermarskyi, 1706-1716
- Gennadius BizanczyGennadius BizanczyGeorge Gennadius Bizanczy was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1716 to his death in 1733.- Life :George Bizanczy was born in 1657. He completed his studies in the Jesuit college of Trnava and ordained as a priest in 1701...
, 1716-1733 - Simeon Olsavszky, 1733-1737
- Havryil Blazhovskyi, 1738-1742
- Manuil Mykhailo OlsavszkyManuil Mykhailo OlsavszkyManuil Mykhailo Olsavszky was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1743 to his death in 1767.-Life:...
, 1743-1767 - Ivan Bradach, 1767-1771
- In 1771 the Eparchy of Mukacheve got his independence from the Latin bishop of Eger
- Ivan Bradach, 1771-1772
- Andrii Bachynskyi, 1773- 1809
- Olekcii Povchii, 1816-1831
- Basil Popovics, 1837-1864
- Stepan Pankovych, 1866-1874
- Ioann Pastelii, 1876-1891
- Yulii Firtsak, 1891-1912
- Antal Papp, 1912-1924
- Petro Hebei, 1924-1931
- Oleksandr Stoika, 1932-1943
- Bl. Teodor RomzhaTheodore RomzhaBlessed Theodore Romzha was bishop of the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1944 to 1947. Assassinated by Stalin's NKVD, he was beatified as a martyr by Pope John Paul II on June 27, 2001.-Early life:...
, 1944-1947 - In 1949 the Communist Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic abolished the Greek Catholic Church; all its properties were allocated to the Russian Orthodox Church.
- Ioann SemediiIvan SemediIvan Semedi was bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1983 to 2002.-Life:Ivan Semedi was born in Mala Kopanya on 21 June 1921. He was ordained a Priest at the age of 26. On August 24, 1978 he was consecrated bishop of Mukacheve, Ukraine. He held the post for 24 years until he retired in 2002. He...
, 1983-2002 - Milan Shashik, since 2010