A two volume edition about Josyp Slipyj presented in Lviv
A two-volume edition “Patriarch Josyp Slipyj and belles lettres” was presented on October 24, 2016 in Volodymyr Hnatuyk Ternopil National Pedagogical University.
As stated during the presentation, the event can be considered a kind of introduction to a series of activities dedicated to the Patriarch of the UGCC, which will be held next year – on the 125th anniversary of the birth of Josyp Slipyj. The personality of this Head of the Church is particularly close to Ternopil area residents, because he was born in the village of Zazdrist of the present Terebovlya district. The book also contains materials from around the world in both Ukrainian and English and Spanish as well as their translations.
"Such famous personalities, representing all our people internationally, are not numerous. Patriarch Josyp belonged to them. With this presentation we actually begin celebrating his 125th anniversary - the syncellus on strategy of Ternopil-Zboriv Archeparchy of UGCC Dr. Vitaly Kozak was reported as saying by RISU correspondent Volodymyr Moroz. “Today's presentation is an attempt to summarize the developments related to the patriarch’s personality in literature and art.”
Two volumes of "Patriarch Joseph Slipyj and belles lettres" was celebrated in Lviv Forum of Publishers in 2016 as the best edition. In Ternopil his presentation held at the Faculty of Philology and Journalism since subjects - literature.
"For many of us the theme of ‘Patriarch Josyp Slipyy and belles lettres’ does not fit the image of Iosyp Slipyj,” the publication’s author editor Dr. Iryna Ivankovych noted.
We have got accustomed that the Patriarch is first of all a long-term prisoner of Soviet camps and fighter for the rights of the UGCC. But organizing the archives, Iryna Ivankovych claims to have found many works of art devoted to native Ternopil. And he was their author... So, while in 1999 through the efforts of researchers Leonid Rudnytsky and Stepan Horoba an anthology of poetry dedicated to Josyp Slipyy "Vibrant Source of Heart was released", now two volumes are published.
Among the authors – Josyp Slipyy, Roman Lubkivsky, Bohdan Stelmach, Oleh Herman, Petro Shkrabyuk, Mykola Kovalchuk, Levko Riznyk, Mykola Kholodnyy, Zoya Kohut, Lesia Khraplyva Schur, Roman Zavadovych, Bohdan Stefanyshyn, Vasyl Yaschun, Józef Łobodowski, Stefan Balicki, Morris L. West and others. The themes of works are quite broad. This is the Patriarch’s native Zazdrist, vocation and priesthood, Josyp Slipyy - prisoner and fighter for the truth, Patriarch’s visits across the free world, "His was not accepted by his own," prayers and wishes for anniversaries, funeral works, “Testament” of the Patriarch.
The book is supplemented by the disk with recordings of certain works performed by People's Artist of Ukraine Bohdan Kozak. The illustrations to the edition were created by painter Yuri Hura who is well-known in the diaspora.
“To know the Patriarch means reading his works. It means to know his inner world,” Iryna Ivankovych concludes.
