Sylvester Sembratovych
Encyclopedia
Sylvester Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal
of the Catholic Church.
, in south-eastern Poland
. He studied in Wien
and in Lviv
. From 1854 he moved for the academic studies in the Greek College of St. Athanasius, Rome
, where he was ordained as a priest
on 1 November 1860 and he obtained a doctorate in theology in 1861. He remained in Rome till 1863 when he returned Galicia
and was appointed to serve in the village of Tylicz
. He worked also in Greek-Ruthenian Seminary
of Lviv till 1865 when he was appointed professor of theology in the University of Lviv, an assignment he kept till 1879.
On 20 April 1879 he was consecrated auxiliary bishop
of the Archeparchy of Lviv
by his brother, the Archbishop of Lviv Joseph Sembratovych
. When his brother resigned in 1882, Sylvester Sembratovych was appointed apostolic administrator
. On 27 March 1885 he was formally appointed Archbishop of Lviv, i.e. the primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and he was enthroned on 5 May 1885. As Primate, he reformed the Basilian Monastic Order
, published vernacular prayer books and held a synod
in 1891.
On 29 November 1895 he was created Cardinal
priest by Pope Leo XIII
with the titulus of Santo Stefano al Monte Celio. He died in Lviv on 4 August 1898.
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Catholic Church.
Life
Sylvester Sembratovych was born on 3 September 1836, in the village of DesznicaDesznica
Desznica is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Nowy Żmigród, within Jasło County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Nowy Żmigród, south of Jasło, and south-west of the regional capital Rzeszów.-References:...
, in south-eastern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He studied in Wien
Wien
Wien is the German language name for Vienna, the city and federal state in Austria.* Wien , in Vienna, Austria* Theater an der Wien, a theater in Vienna located at the former river WienWien may also refer to:...
and in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. From 1854 he moved for the academic studies in the Greek College of St. Athanasius, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he was ordained as a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 1 November 1860 and he obtained a doctorate in theology in 1861. He remained in Rome till 1863 when he returned Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
and was appointed to serve in the village of Tylicz
Tylicz
Tylicz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krynica-Zdrój, within Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It lies approximately east of Krynica-Zdrój, south-east of Nowy Sącz, and south-east of the regional capital...
. He worked also in Greek-Ruthenian Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of Lviv till 1865 when he was appointed professor of theology in the University of Lviv, an assignment he kept till 1879.
On 20 April 1879 he was consecrated auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archeparchy of Lviv
Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Lviv
The Archeparchy of Lviv is an archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.The eparchy was established at some time during the mid 12th century, with its see originally in Halych...
by his brother, the Archbishop of Lviv Joseph Sembratovych
Joseph Sembratovych
Joseph Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1870 until his resignation in 1882.-Life:Joseph Sembratovych was born on 8 November 1821, son of a priest of the Archeparchy of Przemyśl. Since 1841 he studied in Wien and at the end of his studies, on...
. When his brother resigned in 1882, Sylvester Sembratovych was appointed apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
. On 27 March 1885 he was formally appointed Archbishop of Lviv, i.e. the primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and he was enthroned on 5 May 1885. As Primate, he reformed the Basilian Monastic Order
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...
, published vernacular prayer books and held a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in 1891.
On 29 November 1895 he was created Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
priest by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
with the titulus of Santo Stefano al Monte Celio. He died in Lviv on 4 August 1898.