Manuil Mykhailo Olsavszky
Encyclopedia
Manuil Mykhailo Olsavszky (or Olshavsky, , , c. 1700–1767) was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacheve
from 1743 to his death in 1767.
, from which he took his surname (which originally was Išid). He studied philosophy in Košice
and than in the Jesuit college of Trnava
. At the end of his studies, he was ordained secular priest in 1725 and assigned to the Eparchy of Mukacheve, where he later became vicar
of the eparchs (bishops) Simeon Olshavskyi (who was his older brother) and Havryil Blazhovskyi.
At the death of his predecessor, he was appointed, on 8 February 1743 as general vicar by the Latin bishop of Eger: actually at that time, following the Union of Uzhhorod
, the eparch of Mukacheve was formally a apostolic vicar of such Latin diocese. In a few months he was elected to such position by the clergy, designated by the Empress Maria Theresa and so confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV
on 5 September 1743. He received the titular see
of Rhosus
and was consecrated bishop
on 9 December 1743 by the bishop of Făgăraş, Inocenţiu Micu-Klein
. A few time before consecration, Mykhailo Olsavszky entered in the Order of Saint Basil the Great
and took the religious name of Manuil.
In 1746 Manuil Olsavszky was requested by Empress Maria Theresa to undertake a pastoral visit in Transylvania
that was at the time without Byzantine bishop due to the exile of Micu-Klein. He again returned in Transylvania in 1761 to cross, with his authority and predication, the disturbance of the Orthodox monk Sofronie
.
In 1756 he complete and consecrated the sanctuary of Máriapócs
which was started by his predecessor Gennadius Bizanczy
. To serve sanctuary, he built a monastery and assigned it to the Basilian
monks. He also buily schools in Mukachevo and in Máriapócs for the instruction of the clergy, and succeeded to obtain the necessary economical grants. While his predecessors in Mukachevo lived in the Saint Nicholas Monastery
, on request of the monks he built an episcopal residence in downtown. In 1764 he built, with his own money, a school of theology and one for cantor
s in Mukachevo.
In 1759 he could write to Propaganda Fide that in his eparchy remained no Byzantine faithfuls who were not in communion
with the Catholic Church. However the jurisdictional
situation of his eparchy, formally an apostolic vicariate under the Latin bishop of Eger, was not satisfactory. So Manuil Olsavszky contested the authority of the Bishop of Eger and tried to persuade Empress Maria Theresa to gave full independence to the eparchy. He could not see the results of his work, but four years after his death, in 1771, the Eparchy of Mukacheve got its independence.
Manuil Olsavszky died in Mukachevo on 5 November 1767, and he was buried in the sanctuary of Máriapócs.
Among his works, we can remember his Sermon et orientale de Sacra eccidentalem inter Unione quo ecclesia episcopus Rossensis.
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve
The Eparchy of Mukacheve is an eparchy 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...
from 1743 to his death in 1767.
Life
Mykhailo Olsavszky was born on about 1700 in the village of Oľšavka, Spišská Nová Ves DistrictOlšavka, Spišská Nová Ves District
Oľšavka is a village and municipality in the Spišská Nová Ves District in the Košice Region of central-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 430 metres and covers an area of 3.018 km².It has a population of about 195 people....
, from which he took his surname (which originally was Išid). He studied philosophy in Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
and than in the Jesuit college of Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
. At the end of his studies, he was ordained secular priest in 1725 and assigned to the Eparchy of Mukacheve, where he later became vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of the eparchs (bishops) Simeon Olshavskyi (who was his older brother) and Havryil Blazhovskyi.
At the death of his predecessor, he was appointed, on 8 February 1743 as general vicar by the Latin bishop of Eger: actually at that time, following 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 eparch of Mukacheve was formally a apostolic vicar of such Latin diocese. In a few months he was elected to such position by the clergy, designated by the Empress Maria Theresa and so confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...
on 5 September 1743. He received the titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Rhosus
Rhosus
Rhosus is the name of several ancient sites and/or present Roman Catholic titular sees in what is now Turkey.-Cilician Rhosus:A titular bishopric in the former Roman province of Cilicia Secunda, suffragan to Anazarba. Rhosus or Rhossus was a seaport situated on the Gulf of Issus, later...
and was consecrated bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 9 December 1743 by the bishop of Făgăraş, Inocenţiu Micu-Klein
Inocentiu Micu-Klein
Iaoan Inocenţiu Micu-Klein was a Bishop of Făgăraş and Primate of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church from 1730 to his resignation in 1751...
. A few time before consecration, Mykhailo Olsavszky entered in 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...
and took the religious name of Manuil.
In 1746 Manuil Olsavszky was requested by Empress Maria Theresa to undertake a pastoral visit in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
that was at the time without Byzantine bishop due to the exile of Micu-Klein. He again returned in Transylvania in 1761 to cross, with his authority and predication, the disturbance of the Orthodox monk Sofronie
Sofronie of Cioara
Sofronie of Cioara is a Romanian Orthodox saint. He was an Eastern Orthodox monk who advocated for the freedom of worship of the Romanian population in Transylvania.-Early life:...
.
In 1756 he complete and consecrated the sanctuary of Máriapócs
Máriapócs
Máriapócs is a small town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. It lies near Nyíregyháza. It is an important place for pilgrimage. It has a gorgeous Greek Catholic church, which houses the Weeping Black Madonna, an enormous and unbelievably...
which was started by his predecessor Gennadius Bizanczy
Gennadius Bizanczy
George 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...
. To serve sanctuary, he built a monastery and assigned it to the Basilian
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...
monks. He also buily schools in Mukachevo and in Máriapócs for the instruction of the clergy, and succeeded to obtain the necessary economical grants. While his predecessors in Mukachevo lived in the Saint Nicholas Monastery
Saint Nicholas Monastery (Mukacheve)
The Saint Nicholas Monastery is a monastery located on Chernecha Hora in Mukacheve.The exact date of its founding is unknown, though some believe it was founded in the late 11th century. In the 14th century the monastery was under the patronage of Fedir Koriiatovych...
, on request of the monks he built an episcopal residence in downtown. In 1764 he built, with his own money, a school of theology and one for cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
s in Mukachevo.
In 1759 he could write to Propaganda Fide that in his eparchy remained no Byzantine faithfuls who were not in 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 Catholic Church. However the jurisdictional
Ecclesiastical jurisdiction
Ecclesiastical jurisdiction in its primary sense does not signify jurisdiction over ecclesiastics , but jurisdiction exercised by church leaders over other leaders and over the laity....
situation of his eparchy, formally an apostolic vicariate under the Latin bishop of Eger, was not satisfactory. So Manuil Olsavszky contested the authority of the Bishop of Eger and tried to persuade Empress Maria Theresa to gave full independence to the eparchy. He could not see the results of his work, but four years after his death, in 1771, the Eparchy of Mukacheve got its independence.
Manuil Olsavszky died in Mukachevo on 5 November 1767, and he was buried in the sanctuary of Máriapócs.
Among his works, we can remember his Sermon et orientale de Sacra eccidentalem inter Unione quo ecclesia episcopus Rossensis.