Rada adds Sheptitsky’s 155th anniversary to list of observances for 2020

The meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Photo: 112.ua

On January 14, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada supported draft resolution No. 2542 on amending the annex to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On the celebration of memorable dates and anniversaries in 2020,” reports the Parliament’s website.

According to the resolution, the 155th anniversary of the UGCC Metropolitan Andrey Sheptitsky was added to the list of memorable dates to be celebrated in Ukraine in 2020, along with the anniversaries of academic universities, prominent Ukrainian scientists and cultural figures.

The document says that "the 155th anniversary of Andrei Sheptitsky (1865-1944), Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, a public figure, a philanthropist", will be celebrated on July 29.

327 deputies voted for the relevant resolution.

We recall that Metropolitan Andrey Sheptitsky, head of the UGCC from 1901 to 1944, who is often called the “spiritual leader” and “spiritual authority” of the Ukrainian people, welcomed the fascist regime during World War II and wished victory for Adolf Hitler. In 1941, he sent to Hitler, whom he called the “undefeated commander,” a congratulatory greeting on the capture of Kiev by the “incomparable and victorious German army”, and blessed the “allied to Great Germany Ukrainian state" created by the commander of the OUN-UPA Roman Shukhevych in Lviv – “The Act of Declaration of the Ukrainian State.”

However, as soon as Sheptitsky realized that Germany would lose the war, his views changed dramatically. In 1944, the day after the Soviet troops took Lviv, Sheptytsky sent Joseph Stalin a congratulatory message in which he called him “the Higher leader,” “the Ruler of the USSR, Commander-in-Chief and Great Marshal of the invincible Red Army” and later stated: “I am sincerely glad that the Soviet government freed us from these Germans.”

Also, in early January 2020, the Israeli national Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Centre “Yad Vashem” refused the appeal of the representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for the recognition of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptitsky as Righteous Among the Nations.

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