Since very beginning of the revival of the UAOC in Ukraine in 1989 AD our faithful people realized themselves as Ukrainian National Church going back to Kyivan Metropole of the Constantinople Patriarchate since 988 AD, to the times of Saint Prince Volodymyr.
Most of church historians admit that belonging nominally to the Constantinople (Czargorodsky) Patriarchate, Kyivan Metropole was, in fact, indued with Autocephalia. A fact, that for 700 years being under acknowledged jurisdiction of Constantinople (988-1686) Ukrainian Church was visited by Czargorodsky Patriarch once in 1588-1589 only, proves this. After splitting off from the Rech Pospolita in 1654 during Bogdan Khmelnitsky and fell under power of Moscow czardom, Kyivan Metropole was in fact sold to Moscow by the Czargorodsky Patriarch Dionisij IV, who wrote to Moscow czar those times thankfully: “Your Worship, I’ve got from monsieur Nykyta Aleksievich sent by You, thrice forty sables and two hundred chervonets.” /Archbishop Ihor Isichenko. History of Christian Church in Ukraine. Kharkiv, 1999, p. 109/ It was fact of frank symonia (church corruption), that Dionisij IV lost Constantinople Cathedra for in 1688. While Ukraine was under cruel political power of Moscow despotism, that thought and thinks itself “Third Rome” any Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was off the question, but it didn’t mean Ukrainian Orthodox people bent and agreed to confess the crime was act of law. And Constantinople Patriarchate doesn’t consider Ukraine as a canonical territory of Moscow Patriarchate, because at the moment of its creation Ukraine was not a component part of Moscow czardom those times. That’s why Constantinople Patriarch Grygoriy VII on November, 13, 1924 AD granted Autocephalia with his Thomas to the Polish Orthodox Church as cessionary of Kyivan Metropole of Constantinople Patriarchate. Most of faithful of POC those times were Ukrainian people, who turned out to be citizens of Poland by Riga peace treaty between Poland and Soviet Russia from March, 18, 1921.
Just to POC the contemporary UAOC goes in the beginning of the XX century but not to UAOC of Vasilij Lypkivsky, how present moscowphiles, parishioners of UOC-MP, ingeminate all the while. First Patriarch of present UAOC Mstyslav Skrypnyk was just faithful of POC. He was born on April, 10, 1898 AD in Poltava, graduated from the gymnasium and Orenburg Cavalry School, fought at the fronts of WW I, was an officer in the army of Ukrainian People’s Republic in 1918-1919, he finished fighting against Bolshevik’s occupation in Kalush detention camp (Poland). After bolsheviks shot his wife down he got professed and then was priested. He got eparch hierothony from Chyhyryn Archbishop Nikanor and Uman bishop Ihor on May, 14, 1942. When German-fascism occupation of Ukraine changed to Russian Bolshevik’s one, Right Reverend Mstyslav Skrypnyk emigrated abroad, where he ministered in detention camps, then in Canada and the USA. In May 1990 AD at the First National Sobor of UAOC Metropolitain of UOC of USA Mstyslav Skrypnyk was elected Patriarch of All Ukrainian Church that had not been divided those times.
Nowadays faithful of UAOC are completely conscious that the foundation of the Patriarchate conformation of the UAOC was not canonical, because it is under Eastern Patriarchs’ cognizances, so we gave penance for this to the Mother Church, Constantinople Patriarchate, and at the National Sobor of UAOC in 2000 AD we renounced Patriarch election after Dymytrij of blessed memory got his eternal rest, and elected as our clerical curator Blessed Constantine, Metropolitan of UOC abroad till National Orthodox Sobor of All Ukraine Around. Just this way the contemporary UAOC realizes connect with Only Cathedral Apostolic Church via Metropolitan Constantine heading Church having had Constantinople Patriarchate jurisdiction.
If you are interested to know addresses of other parishes of UAOC all through the country, click here. Unfortunately the information is available only in Ukrainian
Our Orthodox Parish was founded 30th September 1994 AD, when the executive committee of Poltava Regional Rada of Popular Deputies made out a CERTIFICATE of registering the religion community statute # 41. Official address of the Parish is: St. Martyr Yury Chapel, vul. Zinkivska, 16, Poltava, 36009. Parson Office address is: vul. Vilyamsa, 1, k. 102, 36009, Poltava, priest Ihor Lytvyn. Poltavsky Deanery of Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy has the same address and Priest Ihor Lytvyn is Poltava Dean, too.
Executive committee on behalf Poltava Regional Rada of Popular Deputies itself handed over the St. Martyr Yury Chapel, standing on vul. Zinkivska, 16, to our Parish by the DECISION # 43 from 30th September 1994. Our parish was charged with complete liability for its keeping as a backyard architecture memorial.
The square of the Chapel is only 9 sq. m. (100 sq. feet), that forbids any ministering Holy Liturgy there, that is surely indispensable for doing any Orthodox Parish. As temporal solution of the problem, a pavilion had to be added to the Chapel without any heating. So, it has been seventh year how we should minister practically at ambient temperature and therewith most of our parishioners are women, old folks, children. There is enough free space to the east of the Chapel to build really a St. Martyr Yury Temple Complex consisting a Temple itself, the existing Chapel, a Baptizing House and a Bower with a Well for making water holy.
Only in 2000 AD local secular authority allegedly agreed to
permit the Temple Complex step-by-step construction after intervention by Kyiv.
At first our Parish is going to build a Baptizing House
dismantling at the same time the temporary pavilion by the Chapel. The Baptizing
House should be a 40 sq. m. building, the project is designed by an architect
Valeriy Trehubov in the Chapel-like style. Our Parish plans to minister services
until construction the Temple.
Taking into account the fact, that donators in Ukraine nowadays are assigned by secular authorities we realize our state perfectly. Just to pay for designing and construction the Baptizing House for money, that we make selling candles, etc we will need decades. Our Parish has not had any illusions around hopes for outside help. Now we ask Lord to give patient to us and quiet acting toward us to secular authorities they not to fall into persecution against UAOC.
The Parson of Khrestovozdvizhenska Parish and Poltava Dean is Priest Ihor Lytvyn, born 1960, was appointed Parson by DECREE from 6th February 1998 AD p.16-98 of Kharkiv and Poltava Archbishop Ihor Isichenko.
Churchwarden (Tytar) Nina Danyleyko, born 1951, was elected this post by a parochial assembly in 1994.
Treasurer Tetyana Pimachova, born 1954, was elected this post by a parochial assembly in 1994.
Head of control-auditing parish commission Lyudmyla Tkachenko, born 1960, was elected this post by a parochial assembly in 1998.
Now the Parish lives by full-value church life: ministering church services regularly, all common services on requests of Orthodox Christians are run also, religious studying in the Sunday school in the Parson’s Office.
Poltava Dean 
priest Ihor
Lytvyn
Poltava, Ukraine tel (00380) 532 586025
On May 2001 The Blythswood Care, a voluntary society from Scotland offered us to take part in their activity about delivering humanitarian help to a boarding school in Poltava region. One man from Poltava visited them and told of the situation in the field. You know, probably, there are mass of abuse about these issues in this country, including stealing, bribes, misuse, etc. Considerable part of humanitarian aid may be resell then in the market, or just used practically useless. We investigate the problem over here and registered as Official Receiver of Humanitarian Aid from abroad for 6 boarding schools for handicapped children and orphans within a radius of 70 miles from Poltava. There are approximately 1200 children there including 500 handicapped physically or mentally, 390 orphans and 60-70 preschoolers. Processing papers took several months, on September 20, 2001 we were registered by the Ministry Committee, at last.
Early February 2002 a huge truck brought from Scotland 7200 kg of humunatarian aid. Used clothing, footwear, toys, wheelchairs, some food, medical equipment... Unfortnuately cans and flour were condemned as unfit for food (almost 2000 kg) and we had mass of spare paper work. Yes, as schoolmaster said then it was greatest help for their boarding schools, nevertheless this aid might be much more efficient. As a schoolmaster told usually a group of Americans came there and gave to every child a tiny soft toy and a toothbrush and then took mass of pictures or video about "the poor Ukrainian children" made happy with so honorable themselves. As before the children had lack of clothing and footwear to play outdoor or toys to play indoor, what to say of computers, but these foreigners sincerely believed they did a great thing. You will not believe, but processing papers and dealing the goods and accounting then took more than six month!
We must say our community is too poor to give any appreciable assistance to the children in the boarding schools or even patients of Poltava mental hospital located in a few miles from our church. But we may assist your Aid to reach really needy people. So, if you have desire to help them we are ready to help you in this. We have no powerful promoter to easy bureaucracy, but good advice can do your efforts finally much more effective for the needed people.
In a few words it means: Welcome to Poltava! Click here to know more, we offer it for Ukrainian Diaspora, Orthodox people and ... How to visit Ukraine saving money and finding new friends.
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SOME PICTURES OF OUR CHURCH LIFE|
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LISTOF |
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1. 6th May, 1999 A.D., Poltava city, St. Martyr Yury Chapel. To the left Reverend Ihor (Isichenko), Kharkiv and Poltava Archbishop, alongside Father Ihor Lytven, Prior of Khrestovozdvizhenska Parish.
2. Summer 1999 A.D., Field of Poltava Battle. On foreground: to the left (elderly woman dressed in embroidery) Popular Deputy of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Mrs. Slava Stetzko, further (with a camera) father Vitaly Zubak, Archpriest, Chancellor of Kharkiv-Poltava UAOC Eparchy, behind him Father Yury Boyko, Metropolitan, Archpriest from Kyiv; in center Right Reverend Ihor (Isichenko), Kharkiv and Poltava Archbishop, alongside him Father Ihor Lytven, Priest from Poltava.
3. Summer 1999 A.D., Field of Poltava Battle. To the left archpriest Vitaly Zubak, alongside him Archbishop Ihor (Isichenko), further Priest Ihor Lytvyn and on the right Metropolitain, Archpriest Yury Boyko.
4. May 1999 A.D., Poltava city by the St. Martyr Yury Chapel. To the left architect Valeriy Trehubov, alongside him Archbishop Ihor (Isichenko).
5. Summer 1999 A.D., Poltava, Military Communication Institute. Father Ihor Lytvyn preaches a sermon during young students tendering an oath.
6. Winter 2000 A.D., Poltava, the St. Martyr Yury Chapel. Ending of Holy Liturgy serving. To the left Archbishop Ihor (Isichenko), alongside him Priest Ihor Lytvyn.
7. Winter 2000 A.D., Poltava, Christmastide. Young parishioners of Khrestovozdvizhenska UAOC Parish, choristers of the church choir. On foreground to the left Maryna Pimachova, alongside (small girl) Marusya Danyleyko, further Olena Mischenko. Behind fellows: to the left Viktor Yurov and behind girls Kiy Danyleyko.
8. Winter 2000 A.D., Poltava, Christmastide. Choristers of Khrestovozdvizhenkska UAOC Parish church choir. To the left (in red dress) Solomiya Danyleyko, regent of the church choir.
9. May 6, 2001 A.D. Holy Day of St. Martyr Yury by the Temple of his name, Archbishop Ihor held the holiday service.
10. October, 4 2002 A.D. laying the foundation stone of the baptizing building, first one of St. Yury Temple complex. The consecration cermon was headed with Poltava dean of UAOC Father Ihor Lytvyn by blessing the Most Reverend Kharkiv & Poltava Father Ihor.
11. Recent St. Martyr Yury Temple in Poltava, vul. Zinkivska, 16
12. View from the conceptual design of the St. Martyr Yury Temple in Poltava, vul. Zinkivska, d. 16. Designed by architect Valeriy Trehubov.
There is, probably, no sinless person on Earth. But every of us, sinful, has some chance to get salvation. I believe, insignificant, unfortunately. Let's begin with a fact, that more than 90 % of the population (if not 99 %) simply bear no relation to the Holy Apostolic Church of Christ, i.e. they are either atheists or agnostics or just belong to different sects, twisting or doing violence to Christian Doctrine, denying the Sacrament and other fundamental notions, so, serving Antichrist actually. I think, any genuine believer, both Orthodox and Catholic accepts they have practically no chance to obtain salvation. Themselves, though, both agnostics and sectarians and perverted believers can consider differently, see, if a person was good towards to folks about him – why not? It's enough for eternity! If you share the last opinion, alas, you make a great mistake, reread New Testament, no Gospel says this. Humanism is not Christianity, in fact it is atheism, so, what salvation may humanist count on?
Further, taking the few percents belonging to the Apostolic Church of Christ, again the same 90 % (if not 99 %) as a matter of fact are "orthodox atheists" or "faithful pagans", confining their connection with Good Lord by visit to a temple from once per year to even once per week, but exerting no effort in constant learning the Doctrine of Christ, or just substituting ritualizing for Christianity, misapprehension keeps their hearts cold (reducing the obligations to oblation, while all the rest is executed with professional sacrificers), or just "supplementing" Christianity with another belief (in spiritism, exorcism, hoodoo, UFO etc. – practicing, in fact, dual faith). Any believer having tried to learn essence and spirit of Christianity, should understand, that infringing the Foremost Commandment (5M 5:1-11, Mt 22:37), you have no chance to get salvation and eternal life, even if you irreproachably execute Second Commandment "You shall love your neighbor like yourself" and are, in fact, just Humanist. Let alone that a person deprived of any fear of the God, has lack of power to fight against the master of this world, it is more difficult (if possible at all) for him/her to keep and defend moral values, i.e. even looking by his/her neighbors' eyes it is harder for him/her to be good for them.
Thus, the rough arithmetical estimate bring at best to sad figures – 1 person of 100 … 10000, or from 1% to 0,01%, compound 0,1%, it is just Ecclesiastes's estimate – a good person of a thousand. As for me two serious conclusions come out of the figure:
1. Wow, how it's hard you (or me) to get belonged to the best, in the 0,1 % jot! We must work extremely hard to get in!
2. And if you had luck, you should be resigned that you will not see your kindred there: beloved, children and parents.
Moreover there will be neither wives, nor husbands (Mk 12:25), nor children, nor parents there. And temporal ties for a practicing Christian should change little by little already in this life (Mt 12:49). And the best thing you can do for them - to convert them to genuine Christianity, to bring to Church, this way you save yourself doing piety and, with luck, them, too.
However, even if you have luck going regularly to your church with a thorough insight into divine service and take part in church life and study the Doctrine of Christ, it is not guaranteed, that you have saved your soul. Considering our behavior to neighbors by the Second Commandment, we should differentiate here truly neighbors, who feel a kinship with us – members of the Holy Apostolic Church of Christ, the same Church that you are a member of, to your brothers and sisters in Christ both Roman- and Creek- Catholic and Orthodox ones of different denominations (not saying here of ecumenism or new evangelic churches or sects – it's a topic in its own right), and all the rest who should be either got truly religion or be refused. What is like your personal behavior and attitude, one of your parish-family headed with your priest, one of your Church represented by bishop, Metropolitan, Patriarch in general… Are their and your behavior to your brothers and sisters in Christ based really on Christian dispensations such as love, forgiveness, not judging, repentance?
The series is infinite, but if you are really interested in getting salvation, you have to begin just from these most important things and stop any fight against petty things like ritualism or canonicity of denomination, Personal Identification Numbers (as believers of ROC do) or splits-off for the sake of getting authority. Christianity begins not from gilded crosses or domes or icons, but from studying and understanding essence of Christianity and following them as strict as possible. Do you do your best to clear up the main things, open your heart to Jesus, went through the disgraceful execution to save you, look deeper, look back, what do you pray at home and in your church? What if you are betrayed with your pastors, what and whom do you pray all together in your church, is this Christ or Antichrist (saying anti- I mean here not against but instead)? You need not pray Him for anything except necessary for your SALVATION, He knows what you need and will give you.
One more terrible dilemma may come up for a thinking person – what is better – to remain in a Church neglected Christian dispensations and serving to Antichrist (co-operating with godless authorities, exculpating and "consecrating" their godless activity and becrossing each other or doing other bad things) or just to throw up your hands and leave such Church? You see frequently there is no alternative, thanks God, in many countries people may choose, what Church is fit to him/her, both in western countries, also in Poland and mostly, in Ukraine, too, but not in Russia or Byelorussia. It may be a problem, too, in UK or US, when you have good church in hundreds miles away, for example. What can you do this way - to try finding way to God singly or through sects? What is better, or, more exactly, what is worse?
Well, I've got off a subject slightly, nevertheless, let's sum up: "For many are called, but few are chosen." (Mt 22:14). Let's list main aberrations from true Christianity:
Everybody will be saved in due time, because God is endless kind. Many sects keep heresies like Origenism, Arianism and so on, cast off with Apostolic Church many centuries ago.
Again, using postulate of Kind and Good Lord, many sects and gospelers say: Join us, fall in our true belief, and God will give you money, success and health in the life! It's lie. Avoid such charlatans, they are even not Antichrist, but pure trickers.
It is both naive and silly and harmful to say of kindness God both in this life and eternal one not following Evangel properly and Christian dispensations diligently. And easiest way to escape temptation of perversion – with the Holy Apostolic Church, accumulated and keeping huge experience of many Christians of twenty hundred years, studying the precious heritage of church fathers. And, of course, "… be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves." (Mt 10:16), not be enticed with promises every good in this life – Jesus never promised this, and "daily bread" of Paternoster is not wealth or good health, but that God supposes the best and necessary for us, perhaps illness or privations. Only this way we have chance (not guarantee!) to get in Ecclesiastes's 0,1 %! So, let's work, let's sow, still having some time, don't despond, dear brothers and sister!
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Poltava, Ukraine December, 24, 2002
THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARHATE IN CONSTANTINOPLE, OFFICIAL SITE
THE UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH, OFFICIAL SITE
CHRISTIAN DATING SERVICE FOR MARRIAGE-MINDED SINGLES
THE KHARKIV-POLTAVA EPARCHY OF THE UAOC
WELCOME TO POLTAVA! OUR PILGRIM PROJECT
UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH
NEWS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE IN UKRAINE
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Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
Contact authors of the Web-site:
Dean of the church Father Ihor (Lytvyn) tel. 00380 (532) 586025 (Ukrainian, Russian)
Web-master, co-author of the site, translator Volodymyr tel 00380 (532) 586777
