St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago celebrates 100 years

2016/11/3 13:13:10

It was 1916 – and while the world was feeling the devastating effects of the first World War, a small group of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians began to worship together, to study the Bible, pray and look for ways to have a positive influence on their community and the world away from their ancestral homeland Ukraine.

 


From the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the United States, Nov 2, 2016

 

A century old history of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL became alive over the last weekend of October 2016. Hundreds of parishioners, visitors and local neighbors joined each other in celebration of exactly 100 years of spiritual ministry of the cathedral community in the Metropolitan Chicago area.

 

It was 1916 – and while the world was feeling the devastating effects of the first World War, a small group of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians began to worship together, to study the Bible, pray and look for ways to have a positive influence on their community and the world away from their ancestral homeland Ukraine. Who could have known that 100 years later this church ministry would still be going strong and would touch thousands of lives in the community and around the world!

 

The centennial celebration began on Saturday, October 29, 2016 with the celebration of Vespers by the pastor of St. Volodymyr Cathedral Very Rev. Fr. Ivan Lymar, who welcomed to the cathedral community various visitors; but most importantly the local cathedral parish family was welcoming the First Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA – His Eminence Metropolitan Antony. Vladyka Antony is the fourth Metropolitan of the UOC of the USA to preside over the major milestone in the life of the parish community. His predecessor Metropolitan John (Theodorovych) of blessed memory led the consecration of the present temple, while Patriarch Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) visited the parish in the capacity of Metropolitan and later Patriarch of the newly reestablished Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the ancestral homeland of Ukraine. Yet another hierarch that faithfully served the cathedral parish as a Metropolitan of the Church, was +Metropolitan Constantine, under whose spiritual leadership the community entered into the post-Soviet reality. Presently, His Eminence Metropolitan Antony spiritually navigates the sacred ship of Ukrainian Orthodoxy in Diaspora through the challenges of the 21st century.

 

Joining Metropolitan Antony at the altar of the cathedral were three other hierarchs His Eminence Archbishop-elect Daniel (Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA and Archpastor of St. Volodymyr Cathedral), His Grace Bishop Andriy (Ruling hierarch of the Eastern Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada) and His Grace Bishop Pankratiy (Auxiliary Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Mexico and Latin America).

 

Details and photos: http://www.ukrainianorthodoxchurchusa.org/news_161101_1.html

 

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*The article above appears through courtesy of the Religious Information Service of Ukraine. Access RISU at http://risu.org.ua/en/index

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