Volodymyr Sterniuk
Encyclopedia
Volodymyr Sterniuk was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic archbishop
and the acting head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
in Ukraine
from 1972-91.
Sterniuk was born in Pustomyty
near the city of Lviv
in 1907. He was born into the family of a priest. He studied philosophy and theology both in Ukraine
and at the University of Louvain in Belgium
. He was ordained in 1931 as a Redemptorist priest
.
During World War II
he served parishes in the Ternopil
and Stanislaviv regions. He witnessed the liquidation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the "synod of Lviv" by hiding in a loft of St. George's Cathedral
. He was arrested by the Soviets in 1947 and spent five years in prison and labor camps in Arkhangelsk
where he worked as a lumberman. While in the camp, he continued his priestly duties and occasionally managed to celebrate mass
with a few crumbs of bread
and drops of wine
. After his release, he returned to his hometown where he worked various jobs including park gatekeeper, bookkeeper, janitor and nurse while secretly continuing his priestly ministry. He taught catechism
, said mass, and heard confessions
in his spare time in his room or in the woods.
In July 1964 Sterniuk was secretly ordained bishop by Vasyl Velychkovsky
and from 1972 to 1991 was the leader the UGCC
in Ukraine until Myroslav Lubachivsky returned from exile
in 1991. From 1964-90, he lived in a single room above a paint shop. During this time, he was subject to constant surveillance and frequent raids by the Soviet police who confiscated his books, rosary
, and chalice
. During this time he wrote liturgical and theology texts, and ordained 5-6 priests a year.
In 1983, he became archbishop and the representative in Lviv for Myroslav Lubachivsky, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who was at the time residing in Rome. On August 19, 1990 he celebrated the first divine liturgy
offered by a Greek-Catholic priest in the St. George's Cathedral since the Soviet liquidation of the Church. When he died of natural causes on 29 September 1997 a public funeral procession which attracted tens of thousands was conducted through the center of Lviv.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
and the acting head of the Ukrainian 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...
in 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...
from 1972-91.
Sterniuk was born in Pustomyty
Pustomyty
Pustomyty is a city in Lviv Oblast of Ukraine. It is administrative center of the Pustomyty Raion. Population is 9,798 ....
near the city 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...
in 1907. He was born into the family of a priest. He studied philosophy and theology both in 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...
and at the University of Louvain 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 was ordained in 1931 as a Redemptorist 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...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served parishes in the Ternopil
Ternopil
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...
and Stanislaviv regions. He witnessed the liquidation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the "synod of Lviv" by hiding in a loft of St. George's Cathedral
St. George's Cathedral
St. George's Cathedral may refer to:in Albania*St. George's Cathedral in Fier.in Australia*St George's Cathedral, Perth in Canada...
. He was arrested by the Soviets in 1947 and spent five years in prison and labor camps in Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
where he worked as a lumberman. While in the camp, he continued his priestly duties and occasionally managed to celebrate mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
with a few crumbs of bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
and drops of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. After his release, he returned to his hometown where he worked various jobs including park gatekeeper, bookkeeper, janitor and nurse while secretly continuing his priestly ministry. He taught catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
, said mass, and heard confessions
Confessions
Confessions may refer to:*The plural of confession* Confessions , a series of books composed by St. Augustine of Hippo circa AD 397* Confessions , an autobiography by Jean-Jacques Rousseau...
in his spare time in his room or in the woods.
In July 1964 Sterniuk was secretly ordained bishop by Vasyl Velychkovsky
Vasyl Velychkovsky
Blessed Martyr Vasyl Velychkovsky was a priest, and later bishop, of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church .In 1920 he entered the seminary in Lviv...
and from 1972 to 1991 was the leader the UGCC
UGCC
UGCC may refer to:* Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest Eastern Rite Catholic* United Gold Coast Convention, a post-Second Worl War political party...
in Ukraine until Myroslav Lubachivsky returned from exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in 1991. From 1964-90, he lived in a single room above a paint shop. During this time, he was subject to constant surveillance and frequent raids by the Soviet police who confiscated his books, rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
, and chalice
Chalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
. During this time he wrote liturgical and theology texts, and ordained 5-6 priests a year.
In 1983, he became archbishop and the representative in Lviv for Myroslav Lubachivsky, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who was at the time residing in Rome. On August 19, 1990 he celebrated the first divine liturgy
Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
offered by a Greek-Catholic priest in the St. George's Cathedral since the Soviet liquidation of the Church. When he died of natural causes on 29 September 1997 a public funeral procession which attracted tens of thousands was conducted through the center of Lviv.