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Ukrainian Saints
Sainted Ukrainian Primates There is also a Choir of Sainted Metropolitans of Kyiv which include: Sts. Michael, Macarius, Ilarion, Theognostus, Peter Akerovych, Oleksiy, John II, Constantine, Maximus, Photius, Jonah (a Ukrainian, not a Russian), Cyprian, Philip (who was smothered to death by order of the tsar for criticising the Russian government – as his life bears out, he was of the same Ukrainian family as St. Oleksiy), Philaret, sometime missionary to Siberia, Peter Mohyla and Volodymyr the New Hieromartyr who died as Metropolitan of Kyiv. Together with St Oleksiy the Metropolitan is venerated his devoted disciple, St Barlaam who died a year before him. This is the St Barlaam who is today associated with the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God on which is a Chalice and before which services are served for those who suffer from drunkenness. This is a very popular icon in contemporary Russia. Although a patriarch of Moscow, St Hermogen was, in fact, descended from the Ukrainian Don Kozaks – a source of pride for Hermogen throughout his life. Both St Hermogen and St Philip the Metropolitan were Ukrainian primates of Moscow. A long-time Metropolitan of Kazan, Hermogen was found to be a zealous promoter of the welfare of the Church there. He was especially devoted to the evangelization of the Tatars and baptized a number of them into the Orthodox Church. He also oversaw the Glorification of three Martyrs who were killed for Christ at Kazan: St John of Kazan, a Ukrainian born at Nizny-Novhorod, and two Orthodox Tatars, St Stephen and St Peter of Kazan. He established a Church-wide commemoration of all Orthodox soldiers. He also promoted the veneration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, whose miraculous copies abound throughout Ukraine. St Hermogen died a Hieromartyr’s death by starvation opposing the enemies of Orthodoxy at Moscow.Another Saint of Ukraine was recently glorified. Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauria, who reposed on June 25, 1857, was a great Church writer of liturgical texts. Perhaps his most famous and best-loved work is His moving Canon and Akathist to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. This work was so well known that it was translated into English for use by the High Church Anglicans (Anglo-Catholic movement) by John Mason Neale in the nineteenth century. Neale is himself listed in the Anglican calendar of saints. It is interesting to note that many Anglican converts to Orthodoxy continue to privately honour their Anglican worthies such as Neale, George Herbert and King Charles and others who had extensive contact with and knowledge of the Eastern Orthodox Church. |
