Od Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodów do Imperium Rosyjskiego: Kościół greckounicki ukraińskiego Podola (koniec XVIII wieku – lata 30. XIX wieku)

Abstract

The publication, based on an analysis of archival documents and scientific literature, describes the state of the Greek Orthodox Church in Ukrainian Podolia. The political conditions of the functioning of this Church are shown. It discusses how, as a result of the three divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Ukrainian lands, including Podolia, became part of the Russian Empire. The religious policy of the Russian emperors towards the Greco-Unites of the Podolia province was analysed. It reports that all government actions were aimed at eliminating the Greek-speaking Church. Force and punitive divisions were used in the process of turning the population back to Orthodoxy. The structure of the Greek Orthodox Church in the province and the changes taking place in it were shown. The process of reduction in the number of deaneries, parishes and the parishioners in them was monitored. Separately, the publication presents the network of Basilian monasteries. It should be noted that they were the mainstay of the Greek Orthodox Church in the region. Therefore, the authorities particularly focused on the process of their elimination. All in all, it is established that after the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the entry of Podolia into the Russian Empire, the Greek Orthodox Church succumbed to strong pressure and was completely liquidated three decades later.

Keywords

• Podolia
• Greek-Uniate Church
• the Orthodox Church
• the bishop
• the clergy
• the “act of reunification”