Borys Gudziak

Summary

Borys Gudziak (born 24 November 1960) is the current Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. He founded the Institute of Church History and served as the rector and president of the Ukrainian Catholic University. He was previously ordained as a priest, and later a bishop. Gudziak has authored and edited several books on church history, theology, modern church life, and higher education reforms.

Most Reverend Metropolitan-Archbishop

Borys Gudziak
Archeparch of Philadelphia
ChurchUkrainian Greek Catholic Church
AppointedFebruary 18, 2019
InstalledJune 4, 2019
PredecessorStefan Soroka
Orders
Ordination26 November 1998
by Sofron Stefan Mudry
Consecration26 August 2012
by Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk
Personal details
Born
Borys Andrij Gudziak

(1960-11-24) 24 November 1960 (age 63)
Syracuse, New York, United States
NationalityAmerican
Previous post(s)
Coat of armsBorys Gudziak's coat of arms
Styles of
Borys Gudziak
Reference style
Spoken styleHis Grace
Religious styleMetropolitan

Early life and education edit

Gudziak was born in Syracuse, New York, United States.[1] His parents, both Ukrainian Greek Catholics, were World War II refugees. They came to New York from western Ukraine via Austria and Germany in 1949 and 1950.[2] After completing his pre-university studies at Christian Brothers Academy, he graduated from Syracuse University, obtaining a dual degree in philosophy and biology in 1980.[2] He entered the College of Saint Sophia in Rome where, as a student of the Lviv Archeparchy under Cardinal Josyf Slipyj, he attended the Pontifical Urban University. In 1983 he graduated in theology and began doctoral studies in an interdepartmental program of Slavic and Byzantine Cultural History at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1992.[3] His thesis, Crisis and Reform: The Kyivan Metropolitanate, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Genesis of the Union of Brest, was published by the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute in 1998.[4]

From October 1994 until July 1995 he attended the Pontifical Oriental Institute, examining in particular the synthesis of neopatristic Orthodox theologian Georges Florovsky and receiving licentiate in Eastern Christian Studies.

Priest edit

In 1992, he moved permanently to Lviv, Ukraine, where he founded the Institute of Church History (ISC), becoming its director until October 2002. In 1993 he was appointed chairman of the Commission for the Renewal of the Lviv Theological Academy by Archbishop Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky. From 1995 until 2000 he served as vice rector of the Lviv Theological Academy, then as rector from 2000 to 2002. In that year, Gudziak became rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University (founded on the basis of the academy), and since 2013 has served as its president.

He was ordained on 26 November 1998 in the Cathedral of St. George in Lviv by Bishop Sofron (Mudry) and incardinated in the Major Archeparchy of Lviv of the Ukrainians. He is the author of over 50 studies on the history of the Church, theological training and on different topics of cultural relevance.

Bishop edit

On 21 July 2012 it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Michel Hrynchyshyn from the pastoral Apostolic Exarchate for Ukrainians of the Byzantine rite in France,[5] and appointed Gudziak apostolic exarch for the Ukrainian faithful of the Byzantine rite in France, at the same time appointing him Titular Bishop of Carcabia. He was ordained a bishop on 26 August 2012 and installed in a Divine Liturgy on 2 December 2012.

On January 19, 2013, Benedict XVI elevated the Apostolic Exarchate of France, Benelux and Switzerland for the Ukrainians to the status of a full apostolic eparchy (the equivalent of a diocese), and named it after Saint Vladimir. Gudziak, though already an ordained bishop, is now an ordinary bishop (or head, of a fully established Eastern diocese), instead of an exarch. He ceased to be a titular bishop since he is now an ordinary bishop.[6]

At the time Gudziak was the 49th member of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Besides France, the eparchy also serves Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.[7]

In May 2018, Gudziak received an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree during the 164th commencement of Syracuse University.[8][9][10]

On February 18, 2019, Pope Francis appointed Gudziak Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia and Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in USA and thus concurring with the recommendation of the appointment offered by the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops, which met in September 2018 in Lviv, Ukraine. He was installed on June 4, 2019.[11][12][13] On June 4, 2019, Metropolitan Archbishop Gudziak was enthroned as the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, PA.[2]

Pope Francis named him a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches on August 6, 2019.[14] In 2021 Pope Francis appointed Gudziak a member of the Dicastery for Communications.

In May 2022, he was the commencement speaker at the University of Notre Dame's 177th commencement ceremony.[15][16] In 2021, Archbishop Gudziak was the commencement speaker during Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary's 2021 Concursus

Scientific, editorial, teaching and administrative activities edit

Author and editor of books and articles on church-historical, spiritual, and theological topics in different languages, as well as texts on modern church life, development and reform of higher education, spirituality of architecture, and other issues of public, social, cultural and political life.[17] His most important publication is "The Kyivan Metropolitanate, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Genesis of the Union of Brest"

Co-founder and co-editor of the church history journal "The Ark" (1993). Member of the Editorial Board of the journal «Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies» Ottawa, Canada (1994). Member of the Scientific Council of the journal «Oecumanica Civitas Rivista del Centro di documentazione del Movimento Ecumenico Italiano" in Livorno, Italia (2001). Scientific editor of the translation of John Paul II's book "Memory and Identity" (2005).

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Burger, John (3 June 2019). "New Ukrainian archbishop is a native New Yorker". Aleteia. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Moses Buckshot, Sarah (2 June 2019). "Syracuse native to lead Ukrainian Catholic Church in U.S." syracuse.com. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Biography of Fr. Borys Gudziak, Ph. D., Rector of the UCU | Ukrainian Catholic University". Archived from the original on 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-08-09.
  4. ^ Gudziak, B.A. (1992). Crisis and Reform: The Kievan Metropolitanate, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Genesis of the Union of Brest. Harvard University. ISBN 9780916458928. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
  5. ^ "RINUNCE E NOMINE". news.va. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
  6. ^ "press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/30325.php?index=30325&lang=en - Translator". microsofttranslator.com. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
  7. ^ "Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University nominated Apostolic exarch for Ukrainians in France | Ukrainian Catholic University". ucu.edu.ua. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
  8. ^ "All the Details on Commencement 2018". SU News. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  9. ^ "Three to Receive Honorary Degrees at 2018 Commencement". SU News. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  10. ^ "Bishop Borys Gudziak awarded with a honorary doctorate of Syracuse University". Religious Information Service of Ukraine. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Philadelphia Ukrainian Catholics welcome new metropolitan archbishop".
  12. ^ "Pope Francis Names Bishop Boris Gudziak as Archbishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia". Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Most Rev. Borys Gudziak as new Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia". Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  14. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 06.07.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  15. ^ Carrasco, Maria (March 24, 2022). "Ukrainian Archbishop to Speak at Notre Dame's Commencement". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  16. ^ Harter, Liz (6 May 2022). "Notre Dame Stories: A Conversation with Commencement Speaker Archbishop Borys Gudziak". Notre Dame News. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Владика Борис (Ґудзяк)". УКУ (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  18. ^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 4 вересня 2023 year № 556/2023 «Про відзначення державними нагородами України» (in Ukrainian)
  19. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 660/2008 Про відзначення державними нагородами України священнослужителів Української греко-католицької церкви". Archived from the original on 8 Nov 2016. Retrieved 7 Nov 2016.
  20. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 276/2005 Про відзначення державними нагородами України". Archived from the original on 8 Nov 2016. Retrieved 7 Nov 2016.

External links edit

  • Archeparchy of Philadelphia

Episcopal succession edit

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archeparch of Philadelphia
4 June 2019–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Eparch of Saint Vladimir the Great of Paris
21 July 2012–4 June 2019
Succeeded by