In the world - Victor Markiyanovych Sabodan
Born 23.11.1935
Name Day - July, 28
Consecration - 09.07.1966
Chairs
Kyiv Cathedra from 27.05.1992
Primate of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr
was born on November, 23, 1935 in the village of Markivtsy, Letychivsky region,
Kamyanets-Podilsky (now Khmelnitsky) oblast (Ukraine) into the family of peasants.
His parents Theodosia Ivanovna
and Markiyan Arsenyovych were commited Christians, and brought up in faith
their four sons, of whom Victor was the youngest.
His mother played the
special role in the spiritual upbringing
of the future Archpastor. As the youngest one he did lots of housework. Mother was the dearest person for him. She never raised her voice, always was tender, sweet, and self-possessed. She taught not in sole words, but in deed. A single glance, approving or strict, was enough for the children to
understand what they are wanted to do. The obedience to the elder was
complete. Their mother put all her heart into her sons, devoted all her energies for their
worthy upbringing. And the Archpastor kept the mother's love in his heart all through his life.
From 9 years he
bore different kinds of obedience at the Church of St. Archangel Michael in his native village. In 1944, when the war was still on, he entered
the Markovetsk primary school. From fifth to seventh form he studied in the neighbour
village Ivonnitsy, where there was a seven year school, and then in the
secondary school of Medzhibozh. From the earliest days at school Victor was
notable for dexterity and industry, and was an excellent pupil.
On graduation from
the Medzhibozh secondary school he entered the Odessa Theological Seminary (1954-1958). In 1958 he entered the St. Petersburg (Leningrad)
Theological Academy from which he graduated with the degree of Candidate of
Theology for the research
work «Christ the Saviour - Master of the World» in 1962. The study in the LTA was in the years of Khrushchev's
Thaw, which started the new
wave of persecutions of the Church. The monasteries, temples, theological seminaries were being closed. As a result, throughout the huge territory of the former USSR only two academies remained: in Leningrad and in
Zagorsk, and three theological seminaries: in Leningrad, Odessa and Zagorsk.
June, 11, 1962 Victor
Sabodan received a diploma of completion of the four year course of the
Leningrad Theological Academy. According to his petition, on graduation Victor
Sabodan was sent to the Odessa Diocese. He was ordained deacon on
June, 14, 1962 and priest on June, 15 by Metropolitan of Kherson and Odessa
Boris (Vik). On August, 26 father Victor was tonsured a monk with the
name Volodymyr in honour of the
Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, Baptiser of Rus. The spiritual father of
tonsured was the Venerable Kuksha of Odessa, who at that time was spiritual
director of the Holy Dormition Monastery.
Hieromonk Volodymyr was appointed a teacher of the Odessa
Theological Seminary, hold office of the senior assistant to the inspector and
at the same time hold post of secretary of the Diocese Administration of
Odessa.
In 1965 he
completed the post-graduate course at the Moscow Theological Academy and was
appointed Rector of the Odessa Theological Seminary with elevation to the rank
of Archimandrite, according to the resolution of Patriarch Alexy I. Even now the Odessites remember
the Rector of the Academy Archimandrite Volodymyr with love, as an assiduous
toiler, sophisticated theologian, brilliant preacher, talented administrator.
One can only imagine how difficult it was those years to bear a responsible
obedience of the Rector of the only theological school in Ukraine. Simplicity and
wisdom of the young Rector, his approachability and responsiveness, attention to
the needs of his inferiors, both teachers and
disciples, attracted to him all his subordinates, who after a lapse of the time
remember their tutor in prayers.
The abilities and active
church activity of archimandrite Volodymyr during the tenure of office of
Rector of Odessa Theological Seminary attracted attention of the hierarchs of
the Russian Orthodox Church. He went on taking part in the events conducted by
the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1966 he was
appointed Deputy Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission to Jerusalem by the
decree of His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod.
On June, 23, 1966, he was consecrated to
the episcopacy with the title of Bishop of Zvenigorod, Vicar of the Moscow
Diocese, and was appointed representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the
World Council of Churches. The cheirotonia to the episcopacy was presided over
by Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Pimen (Izvekov), who later became
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. It took place on July, 9, 1966, in the
Cathedral of the Holy Dormition of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, on the
feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. November, 28, 1968, Bishop
Volodymyr was assigned to the position of Vicar of the Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky
Vicariate of the Kyiv Diocese. From March, 20, 1969 he hold office of Bishop of
Chernigov and Nezhin, and administered the Diocese of Sumy for some time. In
1970-1973 he worked as executive editor of the magazine "Orthodox Bulletin".
On April, 18, 1973 he was appointed Bishop of Dmitrivsk, Vicar
of the Moscow Diocese, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary,
and on the 9th of September he was elevated to the rank of
Archbishop.
From April, 18, 1978 he was a professor of the Moscow
Theological Seminary. On the 5th of June, 1979 Archbishop Volodymyr defended his master thesis on
«Ecclesiology in the National Theology».
The works of Rector of Moscow
theological schools, his high authority as theologian and church representative
brought him a deserved respect in his Motherland and abroad. From March, 1976 he
entered the Board of the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity, in 1978 he
was a member of the Commission for the Preparation and Execution of the 60th
(1978) anniversary of the Revival of the Patriarchal Office in the Russian
Orthodox Church. In 1981-1988 he entered the Commission for the Preparation
and Execution of the Celebration of the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia.
After the elevation to the rank of
Metropolitan on July, 16, 1982 he administered the Diocese of Rostov and
Novocherkassk. On March, 1984 Metropolitan Volodymyr was appointed Patriarchal
Exarch of Western Europe. From December, 30, 1987 he hold post of the
Chancellor of Moscow Patriarchy and was permanent member of the Holy Synod.
On September, 16, 1988 at the statutory
conference of the Soviet Charity and Health Foundation he was elected member of
the Presidium and member of the Board. In 1988 he became a member of the
Central Election Committee at the time of elections of the people's deputies of
the USSR. From April, 10, 1989 he was the Chairman of the Commission on Investigation
of the Materials for Rehabilitation of Priesthood and Laity of the Russian
Orthodox Church.
In May, 1990 Metropolitan Volodymyr was appointed the
Chairman of the Commission for the Preparation and Execution of Patriarch's Pimen
Burial, then he entered the
body of the Commission of the Holy Synod for Organization of the Regional Council
of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1990 Metropolitan Volodymyr was one of the
three candidates for the Patriarchal Throne, the second runner-up by the number
of votes collected. The Local Council elected Metropolitan of Leningrad and
Novgorod Alexy (Ridiger) to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne.
At the Bishops' Council of the Russian
Orthodox Church (the ROC), held on January, 30-31, 1990, the new "Regulations
on Exarchate" were passed to advance the authority of the priesthood of the
Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This document provided the Ukrainian Exarchate with
more rights in self-government; the priests and faithful got an opportunity to
build their church life in accordance with their national church traditions.
On July, 10, 1990 the Holy Synod of
the Ukrainian Exarchate approved the "Address of the Episcopate of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church to the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy
II and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church" for granting independence
and autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (the UOC). The Bishops' Council of the Russian
Orthodox Church of October, 25-27, 1990, consisting of 91 hierarch of the ROC,
decided to grant the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independence and autonomy. The name "Ukrainian Exarchate" was
abolished, and the Primate of the UOC was given the title "His Beatitude
Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine". Upon completion of the Council of Bishops
His Holiness the Patriarch departed to Kyiv where he handed in to Metropolitan
of Kyiv the Tomos of granting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independence and
self-governance.
Granting the UOC autonomy and independence responded the realia of
social and religious life in the country, at the same time preserving canonical
unity with the kyriarchal Church and Universal Orthodoxy. The status of the UOC was analogous to that
of the Kiev Metropolis in the 17th century.
November, 1-3 the Local Council of the UOC
took place in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (The Monastery of Caves), which adopted
the resolution: «to appeal to the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Alexy and the episcopate of the ROC with a request to grant the UOC full
canonical independence, i.e. autocephaly, since only the supreme authority of
the Local Orthodox Church represented by the Bishops' Council can proclaim
autocephaly". However this appeal
was not a free expression of will of all the episcopate of the UOC and of the
integrity of faithful. The question
of granting autocephaly to the UOC was considered at the Bishops' Council in
Moscow from March, 31 till April, 5, 1992.
At this Bishops' Council in Moscow
Metropolitan Philaret (Denisenko), Primate of the UOC promised upon oath that
he would resign because of the accusations in his address. However on his
return to Kyiv he declared his refusal to surrender office of Primate of the
UOC, disavowed his archpriest's oath, which initiated the new schism that took
its place in history as ‘the Philaret's schism'.
On May, 27, 1992 the UOC Bishops' Council,
that was held in Kharkiv, due to impossibility to hold it in Kyiv, deprived Metropolitan
Philaret of his status of Primate of the UOC, he was moved out of staff and
suspended in service for the reason of disclosure of his sins, incompatible
with his ministry as Primate of the UOC, and because of his schismatic
activity.
The Kharkiv Bishops' Council with the
majority of votes (16 out of 18) elected Metropolitan of Rostov and
Novocherkassk Volodymyr as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, who at that
time was at the theological conference in Finland. The President of Finland was
the first to congratulate him with the election to the throne of the Kyiv Holy
Hierarchs.
On May, 28 of the same year according to point
3 of the resolution on the UOC, passed by the Bishops' Council of the ROC on
October, 25-27, 1990, Patriarch Alexy ІІ
blessed Metropolitan Volodymyr for ministry as Primate of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church. Upon this resolution, Metropolitan Volodymyr was conferred a
title "the Most Blessed" within the territory of Ukraine with the privilege of
wearing two Panagias and the privilege of precedence with the Cross during Divine
services (at the Bishops'
Council of the ROC on February, 18-23, 1997 the title "the Most Blessed" was
assigned for the Primate of the UOC throughout the whole canonic territory of
Russian Church).
July, 11, 1992 the Bishops' Council of the ROC approved the resolution of the Kharkiv
Bishops' Council of the UOC. The Local Council of the UOC in Kyiv held on June,
26, 1992 resolved: "to recognize the Kharkiv Bishops' Council of UOC of May, 27-28, 1992 as canonical,
to approve all its acts and resolutions and to consider them lawful." The resolution of Bishops' Council of the
UOC was commended and approved by all the Local Orthodox Churches. Their
Primates greeted the newly elected Primate of the UOC Metropolitan of Kyiv and
All Ukraine Volodymyr and supported the decision of the ROC hierarchy
concerning the former Metropolitan of Kyiv. July, 20, 1992 His Beatitude
Metropolitan Volodymyr arrived to Kyiv. He was met by dozens thousands of the
orthodox clergy and faithful. Vladyka Volodymyr started his first sermon with
the following words: "I arrived not on assignment, and not from abroad, I came to my
Motherland to serve my people and independent Ukraine.
Awarded
Church Awards:
1979 - the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh
of the first degree.
1985 - the Order of the Saint
Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir of the first degree (the
Russian Orthodox Church).
2000 - the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the
First-Called (the highest award of
the
Russian Orthodox Church).
- the Order of the UOC of the Right Reverend
Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk
of the first degree, (Ukrainian Orthodox
Church).
November, 23, 2005 for his outstanding contribution in the affair of revival of Orthodoxy on Ukraine he
was granted the order of the Holy Hierarch Alexius, Metropolitan of Kyiv and
All Rus.
Awarded the marks of distinction of all the
Local Orthodox Churches. In particular:
- Grand Cross of
the most holy and most ancient order of the Orthodox Cross-Bearers (the highest
award of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church);
- Cross of Honour of
the Holy
Apostle and Evangelist Mark (the
highest award of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria);
- the Order of the
Holy Hierarch Innocent of the first degree (The Orthodox Church of America);
- the mark of
distinction of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the occasion of the 70 year anniversary .
State and Public Awards:
1988 - the Order of Friendship of Peoples
(USSR);
2000 - the Order of
Prince Yaroslav the Wise of
the fifth degree;
2001 - the Order of
Prince Yaroslav the Wise of
the fourth degree;
2002 - the Order of
Prince Yaroslav the Wise of
the third degree;
2004 - the Order of
friendship (Russian Federation).
Also has numerous awards of the governmental establishments, social, charitable organisations and funds, spiritual and secular higher
educational establishments.
Activities in the years of primacy
Today the Ukrainian Orthodox
Church comprises 35 dioceses. Notwithstanding with difficulties one has to
face, throughout the years of ministry of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr
in this office the number of parishes increased from 5500 in 1991 to 10554 in 2006.
These parishes are patronized by approximately 9000 of priests. The number of
monasteries grew from 32 in 1992 to 161 in 2006. There about 5 thousand of
monks bear their obedience.
At the time of election of His Beatitude Metropolitan
Volodymyr in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church 4 theological seminaries and 1
academy were functioning, and by 2006 the number of religious educational
establishments increased to 15. Approximately 4000 of parish schools function
now. Today the Ukrainian Church has more than 100 periodical editions, and in
most dioceses there are stable relations with regional TV and radio
broadcasters, that significantly facilitates evangelistic effort.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr is an
honorary doctor of a number of Universities and educational establishments of
the world, full member of the International Academy of the Informatization (within the Ecological and Social
Committee to the UN) and the International Staff Academy of the European Union.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr is
known as a missionary, a theologian and a spiritual writer. Within the period
of 1997-1998 the six volume edition of his works was published. In 2005 four
more volumes of his theological and publicist works were published, being
dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Archpastor.
On the resolution of the Holy Synod of the
UOC from November, 10, 2005, His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr was awarded the
degree of "Honorary Professor of the Kyiv Theological Academy". The same day the scholarship in the name
of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr was introduced, comprising 500 Hrn for
the best student of the Academy, and 300 Hrn for the best disciple of the
Seminary. The candidatures of the scholarship holders are approved by Rector
and the Academic Council of the Kyiv Theological Academy.
The Primate of the UOC edits personally the
most important materials, published in the magazine "Orthodox Bulletin" and the
monthly edition "Bulletin of the Press Service of the Ukrainian Orthodox
Church". During the last two and a half years he turned to the flock with a
pastoral word in the weekly program "Orthodox World" at the TV Channel ‘The
Kievan Rus" twice a week and in the daily program "Orthodox Calendar". He
writes the verse, most of which were set to music and became the Ukrainian folk
songs.
July, 9, 2006 upon the resolution of the
Uzhgorod Theological Academy named after the Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril
and Methodius His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr was awarded the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy. July, 29 the same year His Beatitude Metropolitan
Volodymyr became member of National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. | |
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