C H A R T E R OF RUSYN GREEK-CATHOLICS 2 0 0 7   In this CHARTER, we are addressing the inhabitants of Slovakia in order to inform them about the events in the Greek-Catholic Church, which concern Rusyn Greek-Catholics. The present Slovak Greek-Catholic Church – sui iuris – used to be Rusyn. The Prešov Greek-Catholic Eparchy arose from the Mukhatshevo Eparchy and they were both officially considered Rusyn. In 1963, a priest wantonly changed it to Slovak Eparchy sui iuris in Annuario Pontifico (Pope’s Annual). Since 1968, Rusyn Greek-Catholics could not officially be educated to become priests and Slovak Greek-Catholic priests at Rusyn parishes started aggressive slovakisation. Up to this day, Rusyn Greek-Catholics have not been allowed to re-establish the old (or create a new) hierarchical structure with proper parishes, nor to develop their church in all areas of religious life. This community, however, is capable of that, which can be seen from the fact that, in 1995, the Rusyn language was officially codified and, in 2001, in the census of residents, 35 000 Greek-Catholics proclaimed Rusyn their mother tongue. In approximately 100 villages, where members of Greek-Catholic church live, over 50 per cent of the inhabitants proclaim Rusyn their mother tongue. Since 1986, no initiative has come from the Greek-Catholic Church hierarchy for missionary activities among the Rusyn population in their mother tongue. That is why no catechistic aids are available, no prayer-books necessary for holy services, no textbooks, Holy Scriptures, pastoral letters, magazines, etc. that would have been issued with the initiative of the Prešov diocese or the Košice Apostolic Eparchy and published in the mother tongue of Rusyn Greek-Catholics. In the Prešov seminary, theologians, during their priest studies, never heard a sermon in Rusyn and they are not encouraged to do pastoral work among the Rusyn believers, although most of them, after they have been ordained priests, are referred to Rusyn parishes by the bishop of the Prešov Eparchy. Thousands of Rusyns have migrated from their home villages to various towns in Slovakia where there is no priest to minister in their mother tongue, although in at least 10 towns a Rusyn priest is urgently needed. At Feast of Redemption in Rusyn parishes, bishops of the Greek-Catholic Church are not even willing to read a Gospel in Rusyn.   The situation is not being solved and this causes forcible assimilation of the Rusyn Greek-Catholics and their parishes, which contradicts the spirit of the 2nd Vatican Council offering revival to all nations in their mother tongue. In 2003, a vicar for Rusyns was appointed who cannot speak standard Rusyn, is of unclear national orientation and is passive in his post. He only confirms the manipulation, unfavourability and unwillingness to solve the Rusyn Greek-Catholic hierarchy issue. The unimportant “helpful” measures of the present church hierarchy are features of tactical manipulation with the public opinion to create an idea that the wishes of Rusyn believers are complied with. These authorities, however, do not respond to any important issues or suggestions.   This CHARTER is not temporary and was made public on January 20th, 2007. If you are 18 or over, associate with the views of the Charter and are in favour of corrections of the aforementioned poignant events, please support it by stating your name and residential address, sign it and send to the following address:   RUSÍN A ĽUDOVÉ NOVINY Duchnovičovo nám. 1 081 48 Prešov   From March 1st, 2007 on, a list of supporters (in alphabetical order, stating the place of their residence) can be found on the website: www.rusynacademy.sk Everybody who signs becomes a signatory of the Charter. Full addresses and signatures can be found in the editorial office of Rusín and Ľudové noviny.   Date      Name and Surname        Address        Town/Village          Signature

SIGNATORIES OF THE CHARTER OF RUSYN GREEK-CATHOLIC BELIEVERS 2007:   (By August 1st, 2007 the Charter 2007 had been signed by 1426 people. We are sorry if we misspelled some of the names or surnames, but some handwriting was difficult to read and decode. Please, for your own sake, try to write more neatly and provide your whole name, so that there were less wrongly spelled names. Thank you for understanding.)     Adamišin               Mikuláš              Krásny Brod Adamišinová          Natália               Krásny Brod Ambruchová           Elena                 Medzilaborce Andreanin              Ján                    Volica Andrejaninová        Anna                  Volica Andrejco                Michal                Ruská Poruba Babej                    Milan                 Svidník Bajcurová              Anna                  Medzilaborce Baník                    Ján                    Krásny Brod Baníková               Helena               Krásny Brod Baranková             Mária                 Medzilaborce Barna                    Ivan                    Roškovce Barna                    Ivan                    Medzilaborce Barnová                 Anna                  Roškovce Barnová                 Anna                  Medzilaborce Baťko                    Milan                 Medzilaborce Baťková                 A.                      Medzilaborce Baťková                 Daša                  Medzilaborce Bega                     Ivan                    Čabalovce Begová                  Tatiana               Čabalovce Bejda                    Vasiľ                  Bratislava Bejdová                 Mária                 Bratislava Belej                     Michal                Medzilaborce Belej                     Jozef                  Medzilaborce Belejová                Mária                 Medzilaborce next

 

---

How will Benedict XVI bring to an end a thousand-year latinization of the Slavs?

Will Cardinal Tomko help to reveal the truth and find the lost appeals of two Basilian monks from Slovakia in Vatican?

 

Robert Matejovic

 

“Thanks to protestants and Jesuits, 90 percent of contemporary Slovakia changed their identity from Rusyn-Ruthenian to a newly formed nations of “Toths”, later called Slovaks who converted from Cyril-Methodian azbuka (Cyrillic alphabet) to the Latin Alphabet (Latin),“ is written in the book by Jozafat V. Timkovic, Basilian monk, who, together with his brother - Gorazd A. Timkovic appealed to the Pope to punish Jan Babjak, Greek Catholic bishop in Presov, for telling lies.

 

 

“Slava Isusu Christu!” Do you know a Greek Catholic Church Rite, old Slavonic liturgical language, a master piece by the two missionaries – Cyril and Methodius? Surely, I do not have to guess how many people would give me the positive answer. However, not many. Within a small regional survey, I would have to state that apart from East Slovakia, the majority of Slovaks, Roman Catholics and protestants, living in West and Central Slovakia, have no idea what this term means. Neither, they know this Church has worshipers like Slovaks, Rusyns-Ruthenians, Ukrainians, Hungarians in Slovakia. Ukrainians and Ruthenians-Lemkos in Poland, Hungarians and Rusyns-Ruthenians in Hungary. Some people unreasonably connect this Church with the communism and with Russia, they consider it “retrogressive and backward”, they mistake it by the Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, it is the Church that has been preserved its genuine Slavonic Byzantine (Greek) rite, Cyril-Methodian tradition and Old-Slavonic liturgical language only in Slovakia. Many people mistake this language with the Ruthenian or Ukrainian languages. However, the words of the superior prayer must be understood by every single Slav: “Otche nash, izhe jesi na Nebesich, da svjatit sja imja Tvoje, da pridet Carstvije Tvoje, da budet volja Tvoja, …” (Our Father who arts in Heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…)

 

Why have I chosen such an unusual introduction?

In 2004, Jozafat Vladimir Timkovic, a Basilian monk, published an unusual scientific-historical book – Dejiny greckokatolikov Podkarpatska (9. – 18. storocie). It caused roaring and contrary responds in the Church circles in Slovakia. Its main topic is a tabooed latinization of the Slavonic Hungarian Kingdom and replacing of the original Cyril-Methodian Church rite by the Latin rite. Soon, the book became a sensation for those who were searching and could not find the answers for a very simple question: where and how did the heritage of Cyril and Methodius mission which is mentioned in the Slovak Constitution and which Slovaks put in a claim for disappear?

NEXT

---

Short chronology of events in Krasnobrod monastery (Great Monastery - in Hungarian language called Nagymonostor)

To the 9th century the pagan cult center of the Taurus;
9th century - according to S. Papp Monastery funded by the Rusyn-Ruthenian Count Laborec;
14th century - Monastery destroied by Karol Robert from Anjou... The miracle of the icon of the Theotokos from Krasnobrod Monastery and after great donations from the Rusyn-Ruthenian Count, Theodor Koriatovich and reconstruction of Monastery;
to the 17th century - the great lavra (Nagymonostor with its own archimandrite-bishop);
1603 - the burning and reconstruction by the protestant count Valentine Drugeth;
1614 - attempts made toward unification, known as The Krasnobrod "unia" by count George
Drugeth;
1651-1664 - the ecclesial residence of the Greek-Catholic archimandrite-bishop P. Petrovic, OSBM;
1703-1711 - the decline of Monasticism during the Rakoczy uprising;
1729 - the resettling of the Krasnobrod Monastery by Mukachevo Basilians;
1750-1752 - the construction of the stone-built (Masonry) Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit;
1759 - the construction of the stone-built Monastery and Chapel of The Holy Protection;
1747-1820 - inaugural steps towards The school of Philosophy and iconography studies at the Krasnobrod Monastery;
1806 - the exceptional authoritative grant (pledge) of forgiveness bestowed by the Pope;
1821 - ordination of the first Presov Greek-Catholic bishop G. Tarkovic;
1915 - the Monastery was destroyed during World War I;
1949/50 - liquidation of The Order of St. Basil the Great during communist regime;
1968 - restoration of Greek-Catholic pilgrimages;
1990 - restoration of pilgrimages within The Basilian Order;
1998 - 2001 - reconstruction of Basilian Monastery building close to their original location.
2002 - consecration of Monastery complex by 4 Greek-Catholic bishops;
2004 - initial beginnings of construction pertaining the new Monastery Church.

x   x   x

In the ancient Subcarpathian Region (in the north-eastern part of present day Slovakia) near the city of Medzilaborce, lie the ruins of one of the oldest Basilian monasteries in Slovak Republic, the Descent of the Holy Spirit Monastery - the Monastery of Krasny Brod.
According to tradition, it was funded by the Count Laborec in 9th century and later refunded by the Count Teodor Koriatovich (+1414).
From the end of the XVIII to the early part of the XIX century, it flourished as the Basilian Philosophical-Theological University.
In its glorious past it was destroyed three times: once at the beginning of the XVII century, once again at the beginning of the XVIII century and lastly in 1915. After its first, second and third destruction the monastery was rebuilt. Lastly it was rebuilt in 1999-2002, but not at his original place (to keep old historical ruins) but 50 metres beside it. Now this new Basilian monastery has 20 rooms for monks.
Today there are living three ieromonks: Sedlacek, Bilancik, Lucak and brother Antonak as candidate of Basilians.
 

If You want to study more the famouse history of this Basilian monastery, take to Your hands the book: J.V. Timkovic, Letopis Krasnobrodskeho monastiera alebo kusok zo slavnych dejin greckokatolikov na Slovensku, Presov, 1995, 126 pp. Book is written in slovak language with many footnotes in original.

---

The last Sunday liturgy

of Father František Krajňák in Medzilaborce

 

The participants of the second Sunday Holy Mass in the Principal seat of St. Vasilij the Great in Medzilaborce. Mgr. Alena Blichová, the Deputy of the Association of Rusyn Youth in Slovakia was one of those to take Holy Communion from Father František Krajňák. Finally, the body of curators had their picture taken in front of the iconography with Father F. Krajňák and his wife Viera.

 

On July 16^th, 2006 in the Principal Greek-Catholic seat of St. Vasilij the Great in Medzilaborce, Father František Krajňák officiated his last Sunday Holy Mass.

The notice of his transfer to a different parish, which was given a long time ago, has now been confirmed. It is happening in the year when Father František celebrated two significant jubilees: his 50^th birthday and 25 years of active pastoral service.

 

x x x

 

F. Krajňák spent the most significant part of his life – 21 years – in Medzilaborce. During the time, he won the hearts and minds of the Medzilaborcians, the believers of the Greek-Catholic Church, the youth and supporters of Rusyn national-minority life in general. During his “Medzilaborce period”, he became one of the most remarkable personalities in New-Age Rusyn national-minority history, as well as in New-Age history of the Rusyn Greek-Catholic Church in Slovakia, reaching passed the borders of our republic. Similarly to Dukhnovich and Pavlovich, his activities also lit the spark in people thinking in the same way: priests and laymen. Although the Council of the Rusyn Greek-Catholic Clergymen of the Prešov Diocese, within the church, is rather a symbolic institution; it influences the development of the Rusyn pastoration, and, at the same time, the Rusyn identity. The close team of co-authors translating religious books into Rusyn, working for the magazine “Artos” and the Greek-Catholic Rusyn Calendar, has under his leadership done a lot of good work, to which there is no parallel in Rusyn ecclesiastical history. As recently as the 20^th century, they were actively trying to make codified Rusyn the liturgical language – in correspondence with the religious and worldly laws. By this deed, they started to build a protective wall from more and more aggressive assimilation, which the Rusyns have to fight in clerical as well as civilian life.

 

In joint power of religious and worldly national-minority institutions, hope for rescuing the Rusyns from complete assimilation could be seen. Great hope was put into the Greek-Catholic Church revived after 1968, which was expected to continue in the pro-minority efforts of Beatified Bishop Pavol Peter Gojdič. Pushing of slovakisation tendencies of the revived church under the leadership of Mons. Jan Hirka, evoked even larger activation of pro-minority oriented Rusyn personalities, who co-operated with civilian ethnic organisations, especially with the Rusyn Revival after 1989. Moreover, within the mentioned church, they actively demanded the appointment of a bishop for Rusyns who would take into consideration the ethnic affiliation of a significant percentage of its churchgoers – Rusyns.

 

Instead of that, however, transfers from parishes to different ones started to happen, which, in our opinion, is rather persecution of the Rusyn pastors, the aim of which was to stop “nourishing “ the Rusyn roots in this church. But even in hard psychological and material conditions, the translations of the Apostles and the Gospels into Rusyn came to life, as well as other books important for the development of the Rusyn pastoral practice in Slovakia. This meant that the Rusyns were not planning to give up their legal rights. Although a position of bishop was  demanded during the previous bishop’s incumbency, Father Pavol Peter Haľko was at least silently made a vicar (sinkel) for Rusyns by the new bishop Ján Babjak in the St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Prešov in May 2003. However, from the very beginning it was clear that, apart from their first names, he will not have much in common with Beatified Bishop Gojdič...

 

In Medzilaborce, Father F. Krajňák has, in our opinion, built a strong pastoral-national-minority basis. Time will show whether his successor will keep building on it. His imprints can be seen not only in the town itself; but also in the whole Rusyn Laborec region, where, in the end, a parish for him “could not be found”. His leaving will be a great test for the Rusyns of the Medzilaborce region; whether they will manage to protect this basis and keep building on it. And for Father Krajňák, a new challenge is being born – to build Rusyn basis and to wake up the almost completely slovakised Stara Lubovna region from the “sound sleep”.

 

x  x  x

 

From July 20^th, 2006 on, Kamienka becomes the new pastoral place for Father Krajňák, where he will officiate his first Holy Mass. (At the same time, Father Ján Blaško (born in Ruska Poruba), who has until now been a priest in nearby Ňagov; will come to Medzilaborce to officiate his first mass.) We know that Kamienka is a Rusyn village with Rusyn traditions; however, it is rather neglected from the national-minority point of view. Although an increase in Rusyn nationality inhabitants can be observed (from 92 in 1991 to 237 in 2001); it is not enough for a large village of over 1 500 inhabitants...

 

The only point to start Rusyn national-minority line in this region, is the Community of St. John the Baptist, the goal of which is national and cultural development of Rusyns. Moreover, the head of this organisation is Father Jaroslav Popovec, who is a priest in Čirč, located in the Stara Lubovna region...

 

x x x

 

We were also present at the last Sunday thanksgiving Holy Mass in Medzilaborce. For us, it was an opportunity to meet the significant personality Father František Krajňák and to thank him for the work he has done in the clerical and national-minority field. We hope that the Stara Lubovna region with its loyal Rusyns will find its way to his heart, just like the Medzilaborce region has (F. Krajňák was born in Prešov) and that, under his leadership, the regional Rusyn traditions will come to life again.

 

(Shortened; the article in the full Rusyn version can be found on our website, in the column “ЦЕРЬКОВ“.)

Anna PLIŠKOVÁ, Photos: A. Z.

---

 

An open letter to Bishop Jan Babjak

 

Your worship, Monsignor Babjak,

 

“We would like to congratulate you on your great success in hounding Father František Krajňák  out of  Medzilaborce. Your heart is finally feeling at ease now that this has happened and it will be you who, in the eyes of the Catholic hierarchy, is considered the leader of the Prešov Greek-Catholic diocese. We are living in the 21^st century and everywhere we go, we can hear the word “democracy”. A general election has just taken place and, according to politicians, it was democratic; because those politicians now in power are those who the people have elected. That is how it is in politics and that is how it should be everywhere, which means in the church, too. Unfortunately, the church and especially the majority church, went back a 100 years and now a dictatorship is in power. This is the infamous word against which we have protested. But you, even nowadays, practise dictatorship and make changes that anger people just like now in  Medzilaborce. We cannot be sure if, at the age of 47, you can see and hear well but you do not see or hear the work of Father Krajňák in Medzilaborce. We, the Medzilaborcians, know why and for what we thank Father Krajňák. We will remember only good about him. Father Krajňák is a thorn in the side of someone for being not just an active clergyman. The evidence of this can be seen in the many young priests coming from the Medzilaborce region who are proud of their Rusyn nationality and everything Rusyn. He, himself, did a lot and we can justly call him the “Dukhnovich of Medzilaborce”; but you despise Father Krajňák’s work. He is also “unlucky” to have his brother, Peter, in Prešov, who is not just a good brother but also supports Father Krajňák’s activities as a clergyman and national representative. Dr. Peter Krajňák (LLB) is an active member of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia and he constantly fights for the rights of Rusyns and for the inauguration of a Rusyn bishop. These are also reasons to expel Father Krajňák from Medzilaborce. We cannot be sure of your memory but we can clearly remember October 23^rd, 1991, when Father Krajňák took over the Greek-Catholic church in Medzilaborce from the Orthodox Church. What a disgrace and humiliation he experienced from the angry Orthodox believers and if it was not for the police escort, with the help of which he was able to get in a police car, we do not know how he would have survived. Back then, Father Krajňak was also liked by your predecessor Mons. Ján Hirka. Later, even he turned his back on Father Krajňák.

 

We do not know where the Council of Bishops finds the law that priests can not stay at one place too long. We know cases when, in a parish, a priest baptised his first baby in 1903 and his last one in 1930 and he also died there. In a church, a law should be in action, which would allow a priest to stay at his post, if the congregation are happy with him, until his death. But the ignoramuses, that are now coming to our villages where they make various changes, should not stay for even 24 hours. Unfortunately, some of our people support these ignorant activities; there is enough evidence of that. Also thanks to them, Rusyn children who now come from towns to spend their holidays in villages with their grandparents, only speak Slovak. This is a goal of Mons. Babjak supported by the contemporary Greek-Catholic Church, which only fulfils the orders of the all-powerful church and we are living under their dictatorship thanks to you. We do not know whether you have chosen a “safe” parish for Father Krajňák and his work, as he will want to continue his work for Rusyns, the work he did in Medzilaborce. Although Kamienka is not Medzilaborce, as a strong Slovak influence can be felt there from the side of Stará Ľubovňa, which has only 555 Rusyns out of 16 227 inhabitants. In Kamienka, Father Krajňák will have harder times than in Medzilaborce. You can pat yourself on the back, that you have managed to silence the dissenter and you can dictate your Slovak ideas to the „stupid Rusnaks“ in our villages. And many people unquestionably accept it and listen to the „dictators“. Then, it is clear where you have learnt these dictatorly skills and lead the church in this fashion when you were in court against the late Mr. Langoš. I will leave the rest to your imagination...”

A Greek-Catholic churchgoer from Medzilaborce

 

---

THE VATICAN CONTINUES TO “WORK” WITH FALSE DATA...

Terror in the Basilian Monastery in Prešov

 

„Timkovičes, get out of the Prešov monastery within 24 hours or I’ll call the police!“

 

 

On June 27^th, 2006 in the basilian monastery in Prešov; the brothers Jozafat and Gorazd Timkovič received a decree dated June 17^th, 2006 from the general Protoarchimandrite of the Order of St. Vasilij the Great, Father Basil Koubetch of Rome. It was handed to them by Father Superior Vladimír J. Sedláček in the presence of two Basilian witnesses (Father Metod M. Bilančík and Father Markián M. Greško). The decree states that within 24 hours of its receipt, the Timkovičes are required to leave the monastery (if they happen to be there) and as a new bishop has not yet been chosen and they have not contacted the Holy Father, they are automatically suspended from the priesthood.

However, the decree is invalid. And this is why:

 

1. There is no addressee, it was aimed at the Eastern Congregation, nuncio Nowacki and bishop J. Babjak... It talks about Timkovič in the third person singular. It can, thus, be deduced by detective means that it was addressed to Father Superior V. Sedláček. This means that the Timkovičes not only did not receive any decree, but also some such decree was delivered to them, which was addressed to someone else.

 

2. In the decree, the general representative refers to a decree from March 2005 (!!!), which was allegedly delivered to the Timkovičes in March 2005, which is a lie. The Timkovičes received that same decree a year and two months later, i.e. May 15^th, 2006! It, therefore, concerns falsifying the dates and data with the blessing of the Congregation. The newest decree was written in a diplomatic-devilish style, as its data is false by 90 percent:

 

–        The Timkovičes, allegedly, after receiving the decree about expulsion from the Basilian order in March 2005, got offended and left the monastery;

 

–        Consequently, after a year, on April 27^th, 2006; the Eastern Congregation came to terms with this fact and because the Timkovičes did not contact the Pope in March 2005; on June 17^th, 2006, general representative Koubetch wrote the newest “decree” to Father Superior Sedláček, saying that as the Timkovičes had not chosen a bishop within a year and three months, they are not only expelled from the Order of Basilians, but also suspended from the priesthood. However, if false data is found in any decree, this is automatically considered invalid.

 

3. The Timkovičes contacted the Pope four times between 2001 and 2003. According to church law, if someone contacts the Pope and does not receive any reply, they can not be punished. The Pope has not replied by now. That is why the whole furore, which took place within the two past years, was illegal.

 

Koubetch sent the Timkovičes a cover letter in Italian, in which he directly confirms that what was done to them by bishop Babjak in March 2006, when he tried to suspend them from the priesthood, was controlled by the Vatican Eastern Congregation.

 

THIS IS WHY THE BROTHERS TIMKOVIČ REFUSED TO OBEY THIS INVALID DECREE, which wants to create the impression, that the Timkovičes were expelled from the Order of Basilians during the pontificate of John Paul II, who died on April 2^nd, 2005. And this is why their case was closed during the previous papacy and not that of the new Pope, Benedict XVI. That is why Father Jozafat V. Timkovič, OSBM, said that they might contact the Pope for the fifth time, this time the new one (after they have contacted John Paul II four times. In the years 2001 – 2003 they did not get any reply from the Vatican).

 

The real truth is (see the above picture from June 27^th 2006) that the Timkovičes are still living in the Prešov monastery, they are wearing the Basilian habits, they are officiating Holy Mass, taking confession and so on. On the evening of 27^th June 2006 Father Markián  M. Greško, OSBM – a former protégé of Father Jozafat Timkovič, said angrily to “his father”, that they would call the police and evict the  Timkovičes, or lock the monastery and not let people in. Timkovič answered: „Great, at least the second part of the book of documents on Rusyns in Slovakia will be more interesting...“

 

On June 28^th, 2006, the Timkovičes contacted Pope Benedict XVI. Thanks to this, the Timkovičes were not forcibly evicted from the Prešov monastery and they are still living and serving their flock. What will happen next? Follow further developments on www.geocities.com/timkovic/ – in the next few days you will find out up-to-the-minute news about the crisis in the highest circles of the Vatican, which is filtering down to individual eparchies and among believers.

(The material was taken from the above website.)

---

Father Marián Ján Potáš officiating a holy liturgy on the feast of Rusaľ in front of the ruins of an old monastery in Krásny Brod at the beginning of 1990s. Photo by A. Z.