Invitation to a Dialogue
A book entitled Sviatyi Prestol i Ukrayina [The Holy See and Ukraine] recently appeared in print in Ukraine, written by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, who was Apostolic Delegate to Ukraine in 1999-2004. Today he holds an important post in the Vatican City, dealing with Catholic hierarchs all over the world, so he is not likely to visit Ukraine often. This gives even greater significance to the fact that the book is in Ukrainian; it is meant for Ukrainian readers and the author apparently considers their attitude to his mission rather important. He is also concerned about the religious situation in Ukraine, which is the subject of his book.
The Holy See and Ukraine familiarizes readers with the activities of the Catholic Church and the Holy See, including the internal relations between Rome and local Catholic churches, and contacts with other countries and confessions. The main emphasis, however, is on religious problems in Ukraine, as seen by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic. The author is pleased to state that relations between the Holy See and Ukraine are progressing well. The Holy See recognizes the de facto existence of religious freedom in Ukraine, but agrees with other churches and confessions that the current law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations must be amended. In particular, churches and religious organizations must have the status of legal entities, a subject of frequent articles in The Day. The book also contains much important information about the Catholic Church in general and the Catholic Church in Ukraine in particular. “Ecumenical Dialogue,” one of the most interesting and topical chapters in the book, focuses on the ongoing dialogue between the Catholic Church and Orthodoxy.
Ecumenical dialogue between different Christian (Orthodox, various Protestant and Catholic) churches is one of the highest priorities of the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II constantly recalls what Jesus Christ said during the Last Supper: That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. Despite numerous obstacles on the road to such unity, John Paul II says with conviction that belief in the possibility of achieving the complete and visible participation of all Christians in history relies not on our strength but on the Prayer of Jesus. John Paul II has taken a number of unprecedented steps to advance Christian dialogue. He has visited several Orthodox countries, met with patriarchs or heads of the Romanian, Georgian, and Antiochian churches, and on more than one occasion has met with Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. He also visited one of the most sacred Orthodox sites, Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai. The Pontiff often receives representatives of Christian and other religions at the Vatican.
In the chapter “The Religious Situation in Ukraine,” the author reminds readers that Ukraine, owing to its geographical location, is exposed to both Western and Eastern influences, and can serve as a bridge linking these parts of the globe. Proof of this is the creative self-expression of the people, their literature, art, and architecture, especially the wealth of icons, which are a marvelous poetic manifestation of the Ukrainian national identity. “Icons have always served to express the religious and artistic genius of the Ukrainian people. Here one is aware of both Byzantine and Western European influences. Ukrainian icons have long deserved to be explored at greater depth not only in Ukraine but also beyond its borders.” The author takes rightful pride in the contribution the Catholic Church has made to the preservation of icons in Ukraine.
Susceptibility to various influences is also manifest in Ukrainian religious life. Although most citizens consider themselves Eastern Orthodox believers, other Christian communities normally exist here, at least from the social and cultural standpoints. There are six million Catholics, including five million who adhere to the Byzantine (Greek Catholic) tradition, and one million Roman Catholics. Archbishop Nikola Eterovic believes that both traditions are deeply rooted in Ukraine. The Greek Catholics are right to consider that their roots date back to the baptism of Kyiv Rus’. As for the Catholic community, its metropolitans existed in today’s Ukraine as far back as the fourteenth century. Eterovic calls to mind that some members of the Kyivan diocese took part in the Catholic-Orthodox councils in Lyons (1274) and Florence (1439-45), seeking ways to restore Christian unity. Some historians regard the Church Union of Brest in the same light.
Archbishop Eterovic writes that Catholics have a great respect for the Orthodox Church, which has preserved the apostolic tradition and cherishes the same sacraments and saints, primarily the Virgin Mary. In fact, Catholic and Orthodox believers have the same beliefs. He refers to Sergey Averintsev, a noted Russian Orthodox philosopher, who said that there are more cultural than doctrinal distinctions between the two churches. Small wonder that the Catholic Church supports Orthodoxy both culturally and economically. Over the past several years, the Catholic organization Aid to the Church in Need has contributed millions of dollars to Orthodox churches, including $12 million for the Russian Orthodox Church. However, these and other friendly gestures of the Vatican seem not to have improved relations. The author of The Holy See and Ukraine discreetly points to “polemical and irrelevant statements” addressed by the Moscow patriarchate to the Catholic Church and the Pope. Archbishop Eterovic stresses that the Catholic Church will never argue over such statements, so as not to hurt believers’ feelings.
Problems also exist in relations between the Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). To overcome them, it is necessary to jointly decide on and clearly formulate a number of complicated notions, such as “canonical territory” [i.e., jurisdiction of a given diocese, patriarchate, etc.- Transl.], “proselytism,” “religious freedom” (e.g., the right to choose a confession or church) that are interpreted differently by Orthodox churches and those in the West. Also, it is of vital importance for the ROC and UOC to finally recognize the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which has existed in Ukraine for over 400 years, and which is canonical in every sense. The resolution of the above problems has been postponed-or drawn out-for decades. Archbishop Eterovic notes in this connection, “It is necessary to add another characteristic to this ecumenical dialogue, which it needs so badly: a correct understanding of the situation, precisely the way it has evolved historically, seeing it for what it really is.”
The Catholic Church is genuinely perplexed to witness the schisms within the Ukrainian Orthodox world (currently there are three large and fourteen small Orthodox churches), but it cannot interfere in these matters. According to the author of The Holy See and Ukraine, “it would be easier for us to conduct a dialogue with a united Orthodox Church. If not for outside interference, I am sure that it would have been possible to overcome this division because it is not caused by any deep-reaching dogmatic differences. Restoring Ukrainian Orthodox religious unity would have a positive effect on the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue as a whole.”
All such obstacles notwithstanding, there are certain realms where Catholic and Orthodox adherents must cooperate, and such cooperation does exist. This is primarily true of the social sphere. Here they have joined their efforts to work for the good of society and its most impoverished members. Catholic benevolent associations, especially Caritas Internationalis, help everyone in real need, regardless of religious differences. Believers increasingly take part in the construction of churches for other religious confessions, with Catholics contributing assistance to Orthodox construction projects, and vice versa. Thus, a team of experts from Lviv, among them quite a few Greek Catholics, carried out the restoration of the renowned iconostasis at the Dormition Cathedral on the grounds of the Pecherska Lavra Cave Monastery. A number of Christians have taken a pledge not to discredit fellow Christians who embrace other confessions — particularly through the media. “This is precisely the kind of vital ecumenism that can benefit the Church and Ukraine so much. Such dialogues are more often than not held among believers, sometimes among priests of both churches. Let us hope that this dialogue will also take place at the hierarchical level. Without a doubt, most of the Ukrainian population desires a rapprochement among Christians. Eloquent proof of this is the heartfelt welcome that the Pope was accorded by most people in Ukraine.”
Archbishop Nikola Eterovic pays special attention to the subject of upbringing and education in his book, focusing in particular on the system of education practiced by the Catholic Church. It transpires that, after the fall of the Roman Empire and beginning in the fifth century, parish and eparchial schools existed within the structure of the Western church. In 1597 an elementary school for youth was founded in Rome. It was Europe’s first school for the poor, who were not required to pay for tuition. The Papal Church Academy, founded in 1701, remains the world’s oldest school of diplomacy. At present, forty-six million students are enrolled in Catholic learning institutions, with more than two million studying at 1,100 Catholic universities — and this considering that Catholics make up only one-sixth of the total student body.
The Holy See and Ukraine is graphic evidence of how much time and effort its author, as Apostolic Delegate, has devoted to familiarizing himself with Ukraine. This was obviously not just his duty, but also a manifestation of his inquisitive mind and dedicated nature, and his genuine interest in the country and people, in whose midst he lived and worked. His journeys throughout Ukraine convinced the nuncio that people representing various religions have always inhabited this country, and they have been willing to and, indeed, peacefully coexist with their fellow humans. “I have seen Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant temples, as well as synagogues standing close to one another. This is irrefutable proof of tolerance. For example, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Moslem Tatar believers lived side by side in the town of Ostroh when it was at its cultural peak (16th-17th centuries). All of them had their temples. Moreover, they maintained a degree of cooperation, especially in the scientific domain.” Overall, The Holy See and Ukraine is a book written by an author who is a friend.
