The Head of the UGCC Discusses with Scholars Launching Research Program on Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s Heritage
On Wednesday, July 5, the Ukrainian Catholic University hosted an academic working meeting between the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, with the scholars who research the figure of righteous Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky.
The historian, director of the Institute of Church History, and Vice-Rector for External Relations of UCU, Dr. Oleh Turiy, moderated the meeting.
At the outset of the meeting, Mr. Turiy noted that the primary goal of this workshop was to exchange information among experts about the projects each of them is currently working on and identify new, current, and primary research topics for the Church. “In regard to the study of Sheptytsky, it is important to have a common picture to stay in the same research field,” emphasized Oleh Turiy.
In his opening statement, His Beatitude, Sviatoslav emphasized that in the modern world, there is a great demand for such figures as Andrei Sheptytsky, on the example of his life and ministry. At the same time, the Head of the UGCC said there is a tremendous lack of knowledge of his personality. “It is important to understand how to respond to current church, social, and state-forming needs by presenting the figure of Andrey Sheptytsky,” said the Head of the Church.
Briefly presenting the work of the Institute of Church History of UCU, Mr. Oleh Turiy emphasized that “the depth and grandeur of Sheptytsky require that he be considered as a man of the Church. Certain environments try to present him as a renowned politician or civic activist, but this is a misnomer. Such figures cannot exist outside the church context.”
In conclusion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that in our Church, a tremendous amount of work is being done to study the figure of Andrey Sheptytsky. Still, the whole matter requires tighter communication and coordination, which, in his opinion, could be conducted by the Institute of Church History of UCU, compiling all ideas and proposals into a separate program to study the heritage of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. Otherwise, the work of scholars will remain fragmentary, leaving many gaps and room for misleading interpretations. Therefore, the Head of the UGCC once again emphasized the need for a holistic presentation of the personality and context of the activities of his Great Predecessor in various formats: academic and popular science.
The UGCC Department for Information
