Zynoviy Kovalyk
Encyclopedia
Blessed Zynoviy Kovalyk was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest
and martyr
.
in western Ukraine
. His family were peasant workers and like many of that time and place, were devout Christians. Perhaps it was due to his family’s devotion that Zynoviy developed a vocation to the Catholic priesthood while he was still young. He was known to have a good singing voice and a joyful temperament but also to be a person of strong character.
of the Redemptorists (Congregation of the Holy Redeemer) when he was 25 which made him older than most novices of that period; he made his first religious profession on 26 August 1926.
After the novitiate, he studied philosophy
and theology
in Belgium
. He returned to Ukraine and was ordained a priest on 9 August 1932, celebrating his first Liturgy
in his village of Ivachiv on 4 September 1932.
Father Zynoviy then travelled with Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky
(who was also to become a martyr) to Volhynia
to work amongst the Ukrainians of the Orthodox Church in order to promote ecumenism. Father Zynoviy was a good singer and a preacher. Indeed, it is said he had a golden mouth, and that his preaching drew thousands of people and led them to a greater devotion to Jesus Christ and His mother the Virgin Mary. After several years he went to Stanislaviv (today Ivano-Frankivsk
) to take up the post of provincial bursar
although he was also very engaged in the traditional Redemptorist practice of conducting missions through the area.
Immediately before the Soviet invasion of 1939 he travelled to the Redemptorist monastery in Lviv
and assumed the position of bursar. Due to the Communist presence many clergy concentrated on spiritual matters when they gave a homily
and avoided issues of freedom and justice. As a preacher, Father Zynoviy showed no reluctance to publicly condemn the falsehoods and atheistic customs then being introduced by the Soviets, and to preach on matters affecting the every day lives of the people. Even though he was warned by his friends that the Communist authorities were suspicious of him and that he should be less vocal, he is said to have replied,”If it is God’s will, I am ready to die, but I cannot be quiet in the face of such injustice.” On the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God 1940 (August 15), he gave his last homily, which reportedly drew some ten thousand faithful.
took Fr. Kovalyk from his monastery on account of the sermon he had preached on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
(8 December). He was accused of being a spy. For the six months of his incarceration at Brygidki
prison, like many others, he was subjected to interrogation and torture. In prison, he continued his ministry by praying with the other prisoners, hearing confessions, giving spiritual exercises, teaching catechism classes, and comforting them with religious tales and stories from the Bible
.
On 22 June 1941, German troops began their offensive against the Soviet Union
and the city of Lviv fell seven days later. As the German army advanced the Soviets guards executed 7,000 prisoners prior to retreat. Witnesses claim that, rather than simply shoot Father Zynoviy, he was crucified on a corridor wall of the prison, his stomach ripped open and a dead human foetus inserted.Official Soviet statements claim that Father Zynoviy was shot and not crucified.
On 24 April 2001, along with several other Redemptorists, Father Zynoviy Kovalyk was recognised by the Holy See
as being a martyr
. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 27 June 2001 during that pope’s pastoral visit to Ukraine. June 27 is the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the patroness of the Redemptorists
German language biography * http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienZ/Zeno_Kovalyk.html
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.
Family background
Zynoviy Kovalyk was born in the village of Ivachev, near TernopilTernopil
Ternopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical region of Galicia...
in western 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...
. His family were peasant workers and like many of that time and place, were devout Christians. Perhaps it was due to his family’s devotion that Zynoviy developed a vocation to the Catholic priesthood while he was still young. He was known to have a good singing voice and a joyful temperament but also to be a person of strong character.
Ministry as a Redemptorist
After teaching in a primary school for a short period of time, he entered the novitiateNovitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
of the Redemptorists (Congregation of the Holy Redeemer) when he was 25 which made him older than most novices of that period; he made his first religious profession on 26 August 1926.
After the novitiate, he studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He returned to Ukraine and was ordained a priest on 9 August 1932, celebrating his first Liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
in his village of Ivachiv on 4 September 1932.
Father Zynoviy then travelled with Bishop Nicholas Charnetsky
Nicholas Charnetsky
Blessed Nicholas Charnetsky was a member of the Redemptorists , a religious congregation in the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church; he is considered to be a martyr by the Church....
(who was also to become a martyr) to Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
to work amongst the Ukrainians of the Orthodox Church in order to promote ecumenism. Father Zynoviy was a good singer and a preacher. Indeed, it is said he had a golden mouth, and that his preaching drew thousands of people and led them to a greater devotion to Jesus Christ and His mother the Virgin Mary. After several years he went to Stanislaviv (today Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
) to take up the post of provincial bursar
Bursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
although he was also very engaged in the traditional Redemptorist practice of conducting missions through the area.
Immediately before the Soviet invasion of 1939 he travelled to the Redemptorist monastery 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...
and assumed the position of bursar. Due to the Communist presence many clergy concentrated on spiritual matters when they gave a homily
Homily
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word...
and avoided issues of freedom and justice. As a preacher, Father Zynoviy showed no reluctance to publicly condemn the falsehoods and atheistic customs then being introduced by the Soviets, and to preach on matters affecting the every day lives of the people. Even though he was warned by his friends that the Communist authorities were suspicious of him and that he should be less vocal, he is said to have replied,”If it is God’s will, I am ready to die, but I cannot be quiet in the face of such injustice.” On the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God 1940 (August 15), he gave his last homily, which reportedly drew some ten thousand faithful.
Arrest and death
On 20 December 1940, the Soviet secret policeSecret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
took Fr. Kovalyk from his monastery on account of the sermon he had preached on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is celebrated on 8 December, nine months before the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on 8 September. It is the patronal feast day of the United States and the Republic of the...
(8 December). He was accused of being a spy. For the six months of his incarceration at Brygidki
Brygidki
Brygidki is the building of a former Bridgettine nunnery in Lviv, Ukraine. It was founded in 1614 at the behest of Anna Fastkowska and Anna Poradowska for girls from noble families. After the Partition of Poland the Austrian administration decided to secularise the convent...
prison, like many others, he was subjected to interrogation and torture. In prison, he continued his ministry by praying with the other prisoners, hearing confessions, giving spiritual exercises, teaching catechism classes, and comforting them with religious tales and stories from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
On 22 June 1941, German troops began their offensive against 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....
and the city of Lviv fell seven days later. As the German army advanced the Soviets guards executed 7,000 prisoners prior to retreat. Witnesses claim that, rather than simply shoot Father Zynoviy, he was crucified on a corridor wall of the prison, his stomach ripped open and a dead human foetus inserted.Official Soviet statements claim that Father Zynoviy was shot and not crucified.
On 24 April 2001, along with several other Redemptorists, Father Zynoviy Kovalyk was recognised by 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...
as being a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 27 June 2001 during that pope’s pastoral visit to Ukraine. June 27 is the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the patroness of the Redemptorists
Other sources
- Biographies of twenty five Greek-Catholic Servants of God at the website of the VaticanHoly SeeThe 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...
- Beatification of the Servants of God on June 27, 2001 at the website of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic ChurchUkrainian Greek Catholic ChurchThe 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...
- Francisco Radecki. Tumultuous Times: The Twenty General Councils of the Catholic Church and Vatican II and Its Aftermath. St. Joseph's Media, 2004.
- Blessed Zenon Kovalyk Patron Saints Index.
German language biography * http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienZ/Zeno_Kovalyk.html