Extraordinary Sobor called to name bishop

Darlene Polachic, Special to The StarPhoenix
Published: Saturday, August 09, 2008

Every five years, a sobor -- national gathering of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church -- takes place to deal with non-dogmatic church matters. However, at the discretion of the Metropolitan, head of the national church, an Extraordinary Sobor sometimes is called to decide special matters.

His Eminence Metropolitan John has called an Extraordinary Sobor for Aug. 22-24 for the purpose of naming one, and possibly two new bishops.

What makes this sobor even more extraordinary for the Very Rev. Taras Makowsky, is that his Saskatoon church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of Holy Trinity, is host of the event.

Makowsky says Saskatoon was chosen as the site for the special event because of its historic significance.

"The Church in Canada has its roots in Saskatoon. Worldwide, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is more than 1,000 years old, but in Canada it was formed only 90 years ago. And it all began right here in Saskatoon.

"The prairie provinces have the highest concentration of Ukrainian Orthodox believers in Canada, and Saskatchewan has the highest number of the three provinces."

As one historical account puts it, "the seed of the Orthodox faith was sown [in Canada] not by missionaries but by simple peasants who came from Ukraine as immigrants and established themselves on the Canadian prairies beginning at the end of the 19th century."

Most of those first Ukrainian settlers were from Bukovyna and the Halychany region. The Halychyna believers were largely Greek Catholics, while the Bukovynians were Orthodox. A disparity arose when the Bukovynian Christians were pressed to attach themselves to the Vatican. Wishing to be closer to the spiritual and cultural character of their Ukrainian Orthodox roots, they chose to stand alone and form the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

The first conference was attended by 150 from the three prairie provinces and met in Saskatoon in July of 1918. At that time, the resolution was passed to organize as a denomination. The first sobor was held in December of that year, and the outcome was decision to establish a seminary to train Orthodox priests. The seminary opened in Saskatoon the following year.

Makowsky says the Extraordinary Sobor will be a joint celebration of the church's 90th anniversary and the opportunity to choose the new bishop.

"There are five Ukrainian Orthodox diocese in Canada with only three ruling bishops at this time. Our previous Metropolitan, who presides in Winnipeg, fell asleep in the Lord two years ago. He was replaced by Metropolitan John who is formerly from Buchanan."

Makowsky says in excess of 200 delegates from all across Canada will attend, as well as six bishops -- two from Canada, two from the U.S., and one each from England and Portugal. So far, one name has been put forward for the post of bishop, that of Ukrainian-born Bishop Hilarion from Portugal.

A number of services are planned in conjunction with the sobor, and the public is welcome to attend any of them. Makowsky says the official delegates will also be in attendance, along with dignitaries from the civic, municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government.

A service of Divine Liturgy is scheduled for Friday and Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. and vespers services will be held at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The election of bishops takes place on Saturday morning following the Divine Liturgy. This event is open only to the delegates.

On Sunday morning, however, the public is invited to attend the service of Divine Liturgy in which all the bishops will participate. This service will be followed by a banquet, which is already sold out.

The next regular sobor takes place in Winnipeg in 2010.

SOURCE: