RECTOR OF THE VOLYN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (1994–1996) PETRO VINTSUKEVYCH (1934–2023): TOUCHES TO THE BIOGRAPHY

Abstract

In historical science, due attention has always been paid to the description of the role of historical figures in history. Noting the need for systematic research, study and communication to the general public of the life paths of outstanding personalities of the Church of Christ, restoring the historical memory of our people, we must pay due respect to all those who, in various historical periods of the development of our Church and state, remained a beacon of true Christianity and science. Since the revival of the Volyn Theological Seminary in the 1990’s, the stage of its formation was not easy, but overcoming all the challenges of time, the revived Volyn Theological Seminary has today become one of the largest and most prestigious theological educational institutions of Ukraine and confidently continues its development and flourishing in the status of an institution of higher theological education – Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy. Among the large number of outstanding graduates and leaders of the Volyn Theological Seminary, many of them remain little-known or completely unknown to us. In this article, based on the sources, an attempt is made to reconstruct fragments of the biography of the rector of the Volyn Theological Seminary, Petro Vintsukevych. The source base of the research is the memories of his contemporaries, documents of personal origin and other publications, some of which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The analysis of these sources makes it possible to compile a prosopographic portrait of Petro Vintsukevych in as much detail as possible. The given facts of the biography characterize Petro Vintsukevych as a person who possessed deep knowledge, good organizational skills and in a short time managed to raise the educational process to the appropriate level, improve the material and technical base, thereby making a significant contribution to the development of spiritual education and church history. In addition, Petro Vintsukevych was among the first to take part in measures to revive Ukrainian statehood in Volyn and supported the idea of reviving the Ukrainian Church.