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Who Was The Holy Priest-Martyr Omelyan (Emilian) Kowcz?
Blessed Emilian Kowcz (1884-1944) was born on August 20,
1884, in Kosmach (Kosiv District) in the family of Hryhoriy
Kowcz (1861-1919) and Maria from the Yaskevich-Volfel'd
family (1891-1939). For 20 years he ministered in
Peremyshlyany (Lviv Region). He was impris oned by the
fascists for rescuing human dignity, first in the jail on
the former Lontskyj Street in Lviv, and then in a
concentration camp in Majdanek. In letters he asked his
family not to make any efforts towards his liberation,
because his duty was to support the prisoners. He perished
on March 25, 1944. His stay in the Majdanek concentration
camp was seen as a gift of God. The Jewish Council of
Ukraine gave Fr. Kowcz the title of a Righteous Man of
Ukraine.é In 2001 in Lviv he was beatified by Pope John Paul
II. In autumn 2008 the Synod of the UGCC proclaimed Blessed
Martyr Fr. Emilian patron of the pastors of the UGCC
ńFrom now on, all the pastors of the UGCC have their own
heavenly patronî by Information Department of the UGCC, 30
April, 200
ńIt is very important for us that our priests, in human
culture, humaneness, learning, and ministry, are of a high
quality. We try to educate our priests in such a spirit.
Here it is important to have a living example of a human
being, a pastor, who did not live 1000 years ago but is
still fresh in human memory. Therefore, for us the memory of
Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz is extraordinarily
important. Foremost as an educational point of good example
for all our pastors, but also important is his protection,
his prayer before the Lord God for all of us priests,î said
His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, commenting for the
leading TV channels of Ukraine after the completion of a
Divine Liturgy during which Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz
was proclaimed the patron of pastors of the UGCC.
The celebrations took place on April 24, 2009, on the
construction site of the Patriarchal Center of the UGCC in
Kyiv (Mykil'sko-SlobidsÍka St.,5). Taking part in the
celebrations were Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio
in Ukraine, all bishops of the UGCC from Ukraine, bishops of
the RCC in Ukraine, almost 300 priests from different
corners of Ukraine, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Ivan
Vasyunyk, members of the diplomatic corps, and the laity.
In his sermon, His Excellency Ihor (Voznyak), Archbishop of
Lviv, talked about important pages in the biography of
martyr Fr. Emilian. Father Emilian Kowcz is a martyr of our
days, a martyr of World War II, a universal martyr in whom
everybody will find an answer to questions and an example to
follow. This priest did not look for his own good, did not
save his own life, but he helped prisoners to end their
earthly life with dignity,é Archbishop Ihor said in
particular.
The Ukrainian-language sermon of Archbishop Ihor can be
heard. (MP3 Audio File off-site)
After the prayer in front of the pulpit, Bishop Bohdan (Dzyurakh),
Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, proclaimed
the Decree of His Beatitude Lubomyr in which Blessed Martyr
Fr. Emilian Kowcz was proclaimed the patron of pastors of
the UGCC. Then with words of encouragement the Head of the
UGCC appealed to bishops, priests, deacons and seminarians.
We, if want to be good pastors, have to be ready, with the
example of Blessed Emilian, fully to devote our life to the
service of God and neighbor,é the Head of the UGCC said in
particular. (The Ukrainian-language words of His Beatitude
Lubomyr can be heard at:
www.ugcc.org.ua/fileadmin/user_upload/audio/24.04.2009_2.mp3)
After Liturgy the icon of Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian which
now will be kept in Kyiv was blessed. Then awards named
after Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz were given to persons
or groups of persons who in their life best follow the
example of life of Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian. The
celebration ended with a spiritual-artistic program.
Blessed Emelian Kowcz proclaimed patron of pastors of the
UGCC by Information Department of the UGCC, 23 April, 2009.
The Patriarchal Synod of Bishops of the UGCC which took
place on September 2-9, 2008, decreed to proclaim Blessed
Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz patron of pastors of the UGCC. This
decision of the Synod is being realized in three stages:
On March 25, 2009, a pilgrimage of clergy of the UGCC to the
museum in Majdanek (Lublin, Poland) and the transfer of
relics there of the blessed for exposition in cathedrals of
every eparchy and exarchate.
On April 24, 2009, the solemn proclamation of Blessed Martyr
Fr. Emilian as the patron of pastors of the UGCC. The
celebration will take place in Kyiv on the territory of the
construction of the Patriarchal Center of the UGCC with the
participation of all bishops, clergy and laity.
Every eparchy and exarchate at the local level will conduct
a proper celebration.
The first of the planned events took place on Wednesday. As
part of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the death
of Blessed Emilian, on March 25, 2009, at 11:00 Polish time,
at the museum in Majdanek, Lublin, the unveiling of a plaque
with the message of "the pastor of Majdanek," "here I see
God God, who is identical for all of us, regardless of our
religious differences," took place. The unveiling of the
obelisk with the plaque was performed by Vice Prime Minister
of Ukraine Ivan Vasyunyk.
The next event will take place tomorrow, April 24, 2009, in
Kyiv. On this day the solemn proclamation of Blessed Martyr
Emilian Kowcz as patron saint of pastors of the Ukrainian
Greek-Catholic Church will take place. Celebrations will
begin at 10:00 with a pontifical Divine Liturgy. A festive
divine service will take place on the construction site of
the Patriarchal Center of the UGCC (Mykil'sko-SlobidsÍka
Str., 5, metro station "Livoberezhna"). All the bishops of
the UGCC from Ukraine and Poland and numerous guests will
take part.
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