The Filioque.. It is a changin'

There have been some INTERESTING developments in the Ukrainian Catholic church... but I can't say anything until I know more details so, until then, I think I will catch you all up with the past 1000 years or so of...

UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH HISTORY!!!!!!

Now, everyone loves a good story, and no one can tell a better story then a Ukrainian.. (Well, maybe a drunk Ukrainian.. but there is only so much I can do people!)
The history of the Ukrainian Church has all the elements of a good story...Love, betrayal, Wars, greed, Greeks!, evil enemies, vile Villians and tons of alliteration. Seriously, I think its pretty interesting stuff, and its not just because I have been indoctrinated in the way of the Slavs. So, lets start at the very begining, or rather, kinds of the begining.. a very nice place to start.

Officially, Eastern Christianity began in Ukraine in 988 when (St.) Volodymyr, Prince of Kyiv, adopted the Christian Faith and was baptized. Legend has it that he sent emissaries out to research the religions of the world and find out which one would be best. The one that returned from Greece raved about the amazing churches and beautiful sounding chant in the liturgy. Based on this information it is said that the Prince chose eastern style Christianity, and decided to adopt the Greek traditions. (Most likely Volodymyr was much more interested in the prospects of trade connections with Greece, but Ukrainian school would never lie to me, right?)


Anyways, Volodymir is given credit for decreeing and enforcing mass baptisms and converting the pagan tribes. He was sainted and is known as the Father of Christianity in Ukraine, as well as the Patron saint of the Slavs. (Trust me.. we need as many people on our side as we can get) With his conversion and baptism, Prince Volodymyr gave official momentum to the Eastern Christian movement, establishing hundreds of churches, monasteries, and religious institutions. Before his death in 1015, Kyiv was in its glory as the city of churches. ( as a side note- check out the icon of this guy! Now THAT is a mustache.. Bring back the stache!)


Volodymyr, or Volody as his drinking buddies liked to call him, created a hierarchy for this new church, united under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan of Kiev. Yaroslav the Wise, Volodymyr’s better known son (No one remembers names like Yaroslav the mediocre or Yaroslav – He did his best) established the election of the first home-grown metropolitan, Hilarion, in 1050. By doing this he established the independence of the “Ruthenian” (not to be confused with Russian) or Ukrainian Church in the Kievan metropolitanate from the political and ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Byzantium.


However, Christianity had come to Eastern Europe long before 988 –The Apostles of the Slavs, Cyril and Methodius, were recorded to have been evangelizing in the Crimea in the mid-ninth century. They came from Greece and helped develop the written Slavic language. (Some authors claim that they also established the dioceses of PeremyshI and Cracow a hundred years before St. Volodymy)

Oh, but the fun doesn't stop there my friends.. In fact, I'm thinking about going back a wee bit. NEXT WEEK: A Saint who broke the Emperor of Constantinople's Heart, a King who made his enemies Skulls into mugs.. and maybe a bit more church history....
Coming soon!