BISHOP MYKOLAY CHARNETSKY: MARTYR FOR THE FAITH AND VICTIM OF RUSSIAN CONCENTRATION CAMPS (IN THE LIGHT OF THE ISSUE OF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR)

Abstract

The processes of the democratic development of the Ukrainian state make it possible to carry out non-committed studies of unknown pages of the history of Ukraine, and above all, the history of the Ukrainian Church. One of the incompletely researched stages of the formation of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine is the period of its catacomb existence (1946–1989): when the authorities of imperial Russia as part of the Soviet Union carried out mass repressions against the Greek Catholic clergy. The declassified materials of the pseudo-trial hearings against Church leaders make it possible to reveal all the crimes of the totalitarian regime. The events of the last century resonate with the present – the time of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, which began in full on February 24, 2022. Now, as almost 100 years ago, people who are able to think freely, express their opinion, be patriots die on the battlefield or in captivity of enemies for their own independence. This struggle continues for a long time, because the war is between good and evil. On the side of the first are free Ukrainian people: soldiers, volunteers, doctors, priests... The article attempts to present the last years of the life and activity of the Apostolic Visitor for the faithful Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Volyn, the bishop, and now the blessed hieromartyr Mykola Charnetsky of the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer. The authors offer a detailed review of the events related to the arrest, imprisonment, exile, and martyrdom of Mykola Charnetsky, who became a victim of Russian propaganda, arbitrariness, and cruelty, which also occurs today. The purpose of the article is to highlight and outline the martyrdom of Bishop Mykola Charnetskyi and to point out the parallels between the events in Galicia during the Second World War and the Russian-Ukrainian war (based on the bishop’s life). Among the assigned tasks, we highlight the role of Mykolai Charnetsky in shaping the worldview and religious consciousness of citizens during the war and repressions; research of places where Mykolai Charnetsky served illegal punishment. The scientific novelty consists in the systematization of available knowledge and eyewitness testimonies about the martyrdom of the Bishop of Volyn, Mykola Charnetskyi.