Acts of the 7th European Assembly

of Lay Dominican Fraternities

Annex IIu
Lay Dominicans in Ukraine
 Content

Introduction
• Some historical facts
• OPs: general statistics

Fastiv - the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern Dominican

family

The Mukacheve Fraternity is an advanced prayer post in the
Western Ukraine

The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word
• In focus: St. Thomas Aquinas' Theological Institute
• In focus: KAIROS Publishing House and “Parafijalna
Gazeta”
• Other activities
 Map of Ukraine

“The geographical
center of Europe”

Area - 603.7 sq. km

Total population - 47 million
About 6 million - Catholics

In 1991 it was possible to hear such questions... "Really Catholics are Christians too?"
…or such answers: “- Do you believe in God? – No, I’m a doctor”.
(It’s typical thinking for Soviet people)
 Orange Revolution: made in Ukraine, Dec. 2004

The aspiration and courage of

the people of Maydan square is
wonderful, and their presence
is God’s miracle. But without
faith, without meeting with
God, without a conscience, all
will be lost…

Photo by Kirill Chubotin

Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv

1228 – arrival of St. Hyacinth

(Jacek) to Kyiv

At the same time a former
Benedictine church (built on
Obolon in XIth century by Irish
missionaries) was given to the
Dominicans

For five years Jacek led a

missionary community in Kyiv

1233 – The Dominican mission left
Kyiv in accordance with Prince
Volodymyr’s request
 Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv

1235 – Dominicans returned to Kyiv and

stayed in the city until Batu Khan's attack

1240 – Senior Dominican brothers Albert and
Dominic and others were taken prisoners, 90
brothers died. It is believed that during these
events one of Jacek's miracles happened: he
carried a statue of the Blessed Virgin across
the Dnipro river

1648 – the Russian Province has almost 50

monasteries

St.Hyacinth (Jacek, 1183 – 1257)

 One of the lost Dominican sanctuaries. At the beginning of the
XVIIth century, in Kyiv, on Podil, Dominicans established a
monastery and built the church of St. Nicholas. In 1651 this church
was desecrated, but within a short time rebuilt and consecrated as
an Orthodox church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

In 1934 Soviets destroyed the church (Photo – late 1920’s).

Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv

1649 – Catholic churches

of Kyiv were ruined by
Bogdan Chmelnytsky
(according to historian
Zakrevsky)

1799, 19 April – According
to the decree of Emperor
Paul I, on Pechersk, near
New Bazaar, the wooden
church of the Virgin Mary
was founded, where 250
Dominican and Uniate
 Dominicans in Kyiv

Our presence in Kyiv is closely

connected with the formation
(22.07.1993) of the General
Vicariate for Russia and Ukraine,
whose patron is Michael
Archangel

Kyiv is the centre of the
Vicariate. The General Vicar lives
here, and the Curia of the
Vicariate is also situated here.

St. Michael – patron of Kyiv and the Dominican Vicariate

With General Vicar Mariusz Wozniak OP,
Fr. Maciej Rusiecki OP
Visit of our Master General Timothy Radcliffe OP
The Chapter, 2005
Holy Mass. St. Hyacinth Chapel
Consecration of the
Chapel
OPs in Ukraine: general statistics

There are 50 members,

incl. 42 with final vows,
(9 brothers and 41
sisters).

They were united in three

fraternities - in Fastiv,
Mukachevo and Kiev
Fastiv is the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern
Dominican family

At the beginning people started

to be united around missionaries
from Poland fr. Zighmund, OP
and s. Kazimira. They helped to
recreate a church which had
been destroyed by the Soviet
authority.

The OP community in Fastiv was

founded on September, 14, 1992.
At this time it totalled 10 Lay
Dominicans.

In Fastiv there came Lay
Dominicans from Kiev, Vinnitsa,
Popelnia, Bila Cerkva, Bojarka
and other settlements.
Fastiv is the “Ukrainian Bethlehem”
of modern Dominican family

On October, 4, 2006 it
was registered as the
St. Ekaterina of Siena
Fraternity.

There are 18 members,

incl. 16 with final vows
(2 brothers and 16
sisters).
 Holy Mass, prayer and bible
meetings, pilgrimages,
conferences managed by
Vladimir Savinskij, OP make
a basis of formation for Lay
Dominicans

OPs Promoter and Fastiv Fraternity Assistant –

fr.Wladimir Savinski, OP
Fastiv is the “Ukrainian
Bethlehem” of modern
Dominican family
The Mukacheve fraternity, an
advanced prayer post
in Western Ukraine

The Mother of God of the

Rosary Community was
established in Mukacheve in
1995 (on 8.04.95 12 persons
made vows).

Svorad Jan Duda, ОР has been

the fraternity assistant since
2000.

There are 18 members with final

vows (1 brother and 17 sisters),
and 3 postulants.
The Mukacheve fraternity, an
advanced prayer post
in Western Ukraine

The love of Christ makes us able to

open our hearts to the poor and needy.

Lay Dominicans with Caritas workers

visit patients in hospital branches
(gerontology and oncology) and also
lonely old people.

Some people provide Catholic teaching

in schools, or work with young people.
Everyone is engaged in adult
evangelization.
 Anna Tjagur, OPs President in Ukraine
presents the activities of the Mukacheve fraternity
The Mukacheve fraternity, an advanced prayer
post in Western Ukraine

∗ Monthly meetings. Rosary prayer,

mass, reflection about St.
Catherine's “Letters”, lectures on
the history of the Order, the lives of
Dominican saints, agapa.

Work with new members, for

spiritual growth, and
formation of new groups are
carried out

Christ from Volyn

 The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word

At the beginning the group belonged

to the Fastiv Brotherhood

In 2000 it became independent

There are 14 members (6 brothers and

8 sisters), incl. 8 with final vows in the
Kyiv Fraternity.

Fraternity Prior – Br. Mark Sorokin,

OPs

St. Hyacinth is a Fraternity patron

 The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word

Fraternity Assistant – Fr. Dominic

Simon OP

All the members of the Kiev fraternity

except one have a high education. Four
candidates of sciences are community
members.

Our tertiaries – laity Dominicans: the oldest and the youngest.

Mrs. Radoslava Chornucha and Slavomir
The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word

Fraternity together with Father Assistant in the Chapel

 Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

The College of Catholic

Theology established in
1992.

On May 5, 2000 it became
the Institute of Religious
Sciences.

It enables students to
receive a University
masters degree in
Religious Sciences that
is conferred by the
"Angelicum" – St.
St. Thomas (1224 – 1274) Thomas Aquinas Papal
University in Rome.
Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Consecration of the Institute: abp. Eterovych,

Fr. T. Radcliffe OP, September 2000
 Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Teachers and students

The significant part of the Kiev fraternity was trained at the

Institute. Four Lay Dominicans are faculty members and teach
some theological disciplines
Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

The new building of the Institute and Monastery in Kiev.

Main facade from the side of Yakira St.
Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

The lecture "Dominican presence in Kyiv" by our expert

on Dominican history Olexij Braslavets, OPs , August 18, 2007

During the lecture…

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

St. Dominic's Day celebration, August, 8, 2002

 Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Institute: "Righteous of our time",

meeting dedicated to Mother Teresa of Calcutta (2000)
A Meeting lasts…
 "Aggiornamento” Center

carried out the open seminars cycle “In

focus of the Catholic social thought”.

cooperates with teachers and authors
from "Angelicum" and other
universities (Italy, USA, Philippines,
etc.)
 In focus: KAIROS Publishing

KAIROS (from Greek – "blessed time")

Publishing House was established in 1993 by
Kyiv St. Thomas Aquinas College of Catholic
Theology. According to the Decree of
Zhytomyr Bp. Jan Purvinsky of 23. 11. 1993,
the College received publishing rights. On
19.01.1994 KAIROS Publishing was handed to
Dominicans.
 In focus:
KAIROS Publishing

Nuncio Abp. Eterovych

consecrated
KAIROS Publishing premises on
27/16 Spaska St., 2004.
 In focus: KAIROS Publishing

Iryna Jermak, OPs one of the "Parafialna Gazeta" staff editors

 In focus: KAIROS
Publishing

"Parafialna Gazeta"
editorial staff. Spring 2007
 In focus: KAIROS
Publishing

Master General Fr. Carlos OP and Fr. Wojciech Giertych OP and our "SOCIUM"
Publications

The edition of our own

newsletter "AVE" (editor
I.Ermak, OPs )

Publications in magazines:
"Naturalis", “Politics and
culture ”, "Collegia" (Editorial
group members - O.Slobodjan
and O.Jakovina, OPs)

Brochures on the Social

doctrine of the Church

Publications, conferences and the
statements devoted to preparations for the
Visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine
 Translations and
Documents
Development

Translation into Ukrainian of the

Dominican prayers, necessary
paragraphs of the Canon Law Code.

Translation and edition of the

international Charter of Lay
Dominicans (January, 2001).

Development of the OPs Directory.

OPs meetings…
During Holy Mass
 Formation

Mark Sorokin, OPs delivering a seminar, 2000

Prayer
meetings

Creation and management of

round-the-clock prayer group
"Straz honorowa " at St.
Nicholas Church in Kiev.

Conducting the prayer group

of the Heart of Jesus at St.
Alexander Cathedral
 Prayer
meetings

In the Chapel
 Prayer meetings

Fraternity members having a celebration in the Chapel

Agapa

Sharing a meal
Christian video club “Talent before God”
Christian video club “Talent before God”

This is not the end…

History goes on…

Stained-glass window, view from within