Metropolitan Wasyly
Encyclopedia
Metropolitan
Wasyly, OC
(November 1, 1909 – January 10, 2005) was the Primate
of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
(UOCC) from 1985 until his death in 2005.
Metropolitan Wasyly was born Wasyl’ Fedak on November 1, 1909 in Kadobivtsy, Ukraine
. Together with his parents and five siblings, he immigrated to Canada
and settled in Sheho
, Saskatchewan
. In young adulthood, he became a teacher: a career that lasted 14 years. He then studied at a seminary of the UOCC from 1941 to 1944. He was ordained into the diaconate
on September 27, 1944 and shortly thereafter into the priest
hood on October 1. As a priest, he served parishes in Manitoba
and Ontario
. In 1951, he arrived in Hamilton, Ontario
to serve the parish of St. Vladimir
. He served this parish for 29 years, seeing the parish grow from 47 to 500 families.
His wife, Paraskeviya Tymofij, whom he married in 1932, died in April 1976. Two years later, an Extraordinary Sobor
(general council) of the UOCC elected him as its candidate for bishop. On July 16, 1978, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Saskatoon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Andrew, Archbishop Boris, and Bishop Mykolaj. Following the death of then Archbishop Mykolaj in 1981, Bishop Wasyly became the acting Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy. He was elevated to Archbishop of Toronto in 1983. Then in 1985, the 17th Sobor of the UOCC selected Wasyly to be its Metropolitan and Primate with the honorific
"His Beatitude" (because he was the head of his own church. After the UOCC joined the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitans are now addressed as: His Eminence), and he will be the last Hierarch (bishop) to hold that title in the UOCC, as decided by Patriarch Bartholemew I
. As Primate, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and Chancellor of its seminary, St. Andrew's College
.
Under the leadership of Metropolitan Wasyly, the UOCC came into full communion
with the Patriarchate of Constantinople
in 1990. In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
.
Metropolitan Wasyly reposed on January 10, 2005. His funeral took place on January 21–22 at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg. He is buried at Glen Eden Cemetery. With his wife Parskeviya, he had three sons: Eugene (who has served on the church's Consistory board twice), Yaroslaw and Emil.
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Wasyly, OC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(November 1, 1909 – January 10, 2005) was the Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Canada, primarily serving Ukrainian Canadians. Its former name was the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada ...
(UOCC) from 1985 until his death in 2005.
Metropolitan Wasyly was born Wasyl’ Fedak on November 1, 1909 in Kadobivtsy, 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...
. Together with his parents and five siblings, he immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and settled in Sheho
Sheho, Saskatchewan
-Area statistics: *Lat 51° 35' 00" N*Long 103° 13' 00" W*Dominion Land Survey NE Sec.9, Twp.30, R.9, W2*Time zone UTC-6-Location: -See also:*List of communities in Saskatchewan...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. In young adulthood, he became a teacher: a career that lasted 14 years. He then studied at a seminary of the UOCC from 1941 to 1944. He was ordained into the diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on September 27, 1944 and shortly thereafter into the priest
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...
hood on October 1. As a priest, he served parishes in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1951, he arrived in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
to serve the parish of St. Vladimir
Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь Old Norse as Valdamarr Sveinaldsson, , Vladimir, , Volodymyr, was a grand prince of Kiev, ruler of Kievan Rus' in .Vladimir's father was the prince Sviatoslav of the Rurik dynasty...
. He served this parish for 29 years, seeing the parish grow from 47 to 500 families.
His wife, Paraskeviya Tymofij, whom he married in 1932, died in April 1976. Two years later, an Extraordinary Sobor
Sobor
A sobor is a council of bishops together with other clerical and lay delegates representing the church as a whole in matters of importance...
(general council) of the UOCC elected him as its candidate for bishop. On July 16, 1978, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Saskatoon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Andrew, Archbishop Boris, and Bishop Mykolaj. Following the death of then Archbishop Mykolaj in 1981, Bishop Wasyly became the acting Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy. He was elevated to Archbishop of Toronto in 1983. Then in 1985, the 17th Sobor of the UOCC selected Wasyly to be its Metropolitan and Primate with the honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
"His Beatitude" (because he was the head of his own church. After the UOCC joined the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitans are now addressed as: His Eminence), and he will be the last Hierarch (bishop) to hold that title in the UOCC, as decided by Patriarch Bartholemew I
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and thus "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, since 2 November 1991...
. As Primate, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and Chancellor of its seminary, St. Andrew's College
St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg)
St. Andrew’s College is an institution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and is affiliated with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg...
.
Under the leadership of Metropolitan Wasyly, the UOCC came into full 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 Patriarchate of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
in 1990. In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Metropolitan Wasyly reposed on January 10, 2005. His funeral took place on January 21–22 at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg. He is buried at Glen Eden Cemetery. With his wife Parskeviya, he had three sons: Eugene (who has served on the church's Consistory board twice), Yaroslaw and Emil.