Yurij Vynnyckyj
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Yurij Vynnyckyj (1660—1713) was the Administrator of Kiev–Galicia from 1708 and Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Ruthenia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
from 1710 to his death in 1713.
from an influential family of Przemyśl
. His uncle Anthony Vynnyckyj on about 1650 was the Orthodox bishop of the town, which initially did not adhere to the Union of Brest
thus having for a short period two bishops. In 1679 the older brother of Gabriel, Inokentij Vynnyckyj became the Orthodox bishop of the town and on 23 June 1691 Inokentij publicly accepted the Union for himself and for his eparchy, and he remained the only bishop of the town after the Greek Catholic bishop Ivan Malaxovskyj on the same year moved to Chełm.
Bishop Inokentij Vynnyckyj died on 24 February 1700 and Gabriel Vynnyckyj was chosen for his succession as Eparch (Bishop) of the Eparchy of Przemyśl
. Gabriel was still a layman
, thus on 20 April 1700 he entered in the Order of Saint Basil the Great
taking the religious name of Yurij (George), and shortly later was ordained as a priest
. On 6 May 1700 he was formally appointed bishop by king Augustus II
, and he was formally elected by the faithfuls and the clergy on 5 June 1700 and so confirmed by the Pope
on 14 August 1700. He was ordained as Bishop
in the same year by the Metropolitan of Kiev Lev Zalenskyj
.
In 1707, after the death of bishop Joseph De Camillis, he was appointed administrator of the Eparchy of Mukacheve
for which there were political problems for the succession. In 1708 he became also administrator of the eparchies of Lviv
and Volodymyr
. At the death of Metropolitan of Kiev, Lev Zalenskyj, he was also appointed administrator of Kiev
(28 August 1708). He was shortly later elected Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia, but because of the on-going Great Northern War
, he could be formally confirmed by the king only until 1710. Soon after, on 7 May 1710, he was confirmed by Pope Clement XI
.. As soon as he was formally confirmed as Metropolitan, he could appoint bishops for the other eparchies he was administrator.
Vynnyckyj was the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in a very difficult period, during the Great Northern War
(1700-1721), and under the armed opposition of Peter I of Russia
to the Greek Catholic Church
, particularly in the eparchy of Lutzk. He anyway worked hard to implement the union of Brest
, and under his reign the stauropegic
confraternity
of Lviv accepted the Union in 1709 and also the important Pochayiv Monastery
adhered to it in 1712. In 1712 he endowed a large amount of money for the construction of a seminary
in Przemyśl.
He died on 22 September 1713 in Straszewice (Staryi Sambir Raion
).
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 1710 to his death in 1713.
Life
Gabriel Vynnyckyj was born in 1660from an influential family of Przemyśl
Przemysl
Przemyśl is a city in south-eastern Poland with 66,756 inhabitants, as of June 2009. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it was previously the capital of Przemyśl Voivodeship....
. His uncle Anthony Vynnyckyj on about 1650 was the Orthodox bishop of the town, which initially did not adhere to 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...
thus having for a short period two bishops. In 1679 the older brother of Gabriel, Inokentij Vynnyckyj became the Orthodox bishop of the town and on 23 June 1691 Inokentij publicly accepted the Union for himself and for his eparchy, and he remained the only bishop of the town after the Greek Catholic bishop Ivan Malaxovskyj on the same year moved to Chełm.
Bishop Inokentij Vynnyckyj died on 24 February 1700 and Gabriel Vynnyckyj was chosen for his succession as Eparch (Bishop) of the Eparchy of Przemyśl
Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Przemysl–Warsaw
The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Przemyśl–Warsaw is an archeparchy located in the cities of Przemyśl and Warsaw in Poland.-History:In 1087 the Eparchy of Przemyśl was established....
. Gabriel was still a layman
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
, thus on 20 April 1700 he 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...
taking the religious name of Yurij (George), and shortly later 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 6 May 1700 he was formally appointed bishop by king Augustus II
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
, and he was formally elected by the faithfuls and the clergy on 5 June 1700 and so confirmed by the Pope
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...
on 14 August 1700. He was ordained as 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....
in the same year by the Metropolitan of Kiev Lev Zalenskyj
Lev Zalenskyj
Lev Szlubic Zalenskyj was the Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Russia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1694 to his death in 1708.-Life:...
.
In 1707, after the death of bishop Joseph De Camillis, he was appointed administrator of the Eparchy of Mukacheve
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...
for which there were political problems for the succession. In 1708 he became also administrator of the eparchies of 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...
and Volodymyr
Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Volodymyr-Volynsky is a city located in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative centre of the Volodymyr-Volynsky District, the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
. At the death of Metropolitan of Kiev, Lev Zalenskyj, he was also appointed administrator of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
(28 August 1708). He was shortly later elected Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia, but because of the on-going Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, he could be formally confirmed by the king only until 1710. Soon after, on 7 May 1710, he was confirmed by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
.. As soon as he was formally confirmed as Metropolitan, he could appoint bishops for the other eparchies he was administrator.
Vynnyckyj was the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in a very difficult period, during the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
(1700-1721), and under the armed opposition of Peter I of Russia
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
to the Greek Catholic Church
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...
, particularly in the eparchy of Lutzk. He anyway worked hard to implement 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...
, and under his reign the stauropegic
Stauropegic
Stauropegic, also rendered stavropegic, stauropegial, or stavropegial is a title or description applied to Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christian monasteries subordinated directly to a Patriarch or Synod, rather than to their local Bishop...
confraternity
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
of Lviv accepted the Union in 1709 and also the important Pochayiv Monastery
Pochayiv Lavra
Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra has for centuries been the foremost spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox denominations in Western Ukraine. The monastery tops a 60-metre hill in the town of Pochayiv, Ternopil Oblast, 18 km southwest of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil...
adhered to it in 1712. In 1712 he endowed a large amount of money for the construction of a 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...
in Przemyśl.
He died on 22 September 1713 in Straszewice (Staryi Sambir Raion
Staryi Sambir Raion
Staryi Sambir Raion is a raion in Lviv Oblast in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is Staryi Sambir. It has a population of 85 400.It was established in 1944.-External links:*...
).