Archbishop Volodymyr Viytyshyn ( uk, Володимир Війтишин; born 9 November 1959) is a

Ukrainian Greek Catholic , native_name_lang = uk , caption_background = , image = StGeorgeCathedral Lviv.JPG , imagewidth = , type = Particular church (sui iuris) , alt = , caption = St. George's C ...

hierarch as an Archbishop-Metropolitan of

Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk The Archparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk (or Ivano-Frankivsk of the Ukrainians) is an Archeparchy (Eastern Catholic Archdiocese) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church ''sui iuris'' (Byzantine rite in Ukrainian language) in Ukraine. It depends on the R ...

since 2 June 2005 (until 21 November 2011 in rank of Eparchial Bishop). Previously he served as a Coadjutor Bishop of Kolomyia-Chernivtsi from 13 May 2003 until 12 December 2004 and as an Eparchial Bishop of the same Kolomyia-Chernivtsi from 12 December 2004 until 2 June 2005. Coat of arms of Volodymyr Viytishyn

Life

Archbishop Viytyshyn was born in the family of clandestine Greek-Catholics in

Vinnytsia Oblast Vinnytsia Oblast ( uk, Ві́нницька о́бласть, translit=Vinnytska oblast; ; also referred to as Vinnychchyna — uk, Ві́нниччина) is an oblast of western and southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Vinnytsia. ...

, but in early childhood moved with parents to the

Ternopil Oblast Ternopil Oblast ( uk, Тернопі́льська о́бласть, translit=Ternopilska oblast; also referred to as Ternopilshchyna, uk, Терно́пільщина, label=none, or Ternopillia, uk, Тернопілля, label=none) is an obl ...

, where he grew up. After graduation of the school education he made a compulsory service in the

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

. In this time he was clandestinely ordained as

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

by Bishop

Pavlo Vasylyk Pavlo Vasylyk ( uk, Павло Василик; 8 August 1926 – 12 December 2004) was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic hierarch. He was clandestine bishop from 1974 to 1991, an auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk from ...

on May 26, 1982, after he completed clandestine theological studies and made a pastoral work among faithful of the "Catacomb Church". Fr. Viytyshyn was among these persons, who on 4 August 1987 made a declaration about exit from clandestinity of the

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , native_name_lang = uk , caption_background = , image = StGeorgeCathedral Lviv.JPG , imagewidth = , type = Particular church (sui iuris) , alt = , caption = St. George's C ...

. From 1990 until 1997 he served as Dean of Tlumach Deanery and from 1997 until 2003 as an Econom of the Eparchy of Kolomyia-Chernivtsi. At the same time he continued his theological studies in the Theological Seminary in Ivano-Frankivsk and Catholic University of Lublin in Poland. On May 13, 2003 Fr. Viytyshyn was elected and on July 15, 2003 was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

to the

Episcopate A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Kolomyia-Chernivtsi. The principal

consecrator A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop. The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churche ...

was Cardinal

Lubomyr Husar Lubomyr Husar MSU ( uk, Любомир Гузар, Liubomyr Huzar; 26 February 1933 – 31 May 2017) was the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the first elected in independent Ukraine. He was also a cardinal of the C ...

, the Head of the

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Viytyshyn, Volodymyr 1959 births Living people People from Vinnytsia Oblast John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin alumni Ukrainian Eastern Catholics Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 3rd class Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk Archbishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church