Andrey Sheptytsky is the greatest ecclesiastical figure in the history of the entire Ukrainian Church, said long-time postulator in the beatification process of Metropolitan Andrey Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in France, Benelux countries and Switzerland, Bishop Myhail Hrynchyshyn.
“How poor our church would be without Sheptytsky! He left a very great heritage,” said the bishop in an interview to Radio Svoboda.
Bishop Hrynchyshyn has been interested in the figure of Metropolitan Andrey since 1944. In 1958 he became the postulator in the beatification of Sheptytsky. He said the process was officially opened under Pope John XXIII, who was personally acquainted with Metropolitan Andrey, and was very supportive of him.
“John XXIII said that he knew Andrew Sheptytsky, that he was a great man who was not understood by his own and by others. After meeting with the pope, the process of beatification of Metropolitan Andrey officially began,” he said.
The bishop noted that among the clergy of the Catholic Church there were also people who tried to disrupt the process of the beatification of the metropolitan.
“At the beginning of the process Cardinal Wyszynski from Poland twice sought to end the process. But in 1959, the eldest son of the Chief Rabbi of Lviv, Kurt Lewin, came to Rome on his own initiative. Lewin testified in support of the metropolitan, who hid him and other Jews from the Nazis during World War II. Lewin proved the righteousness of the life of the metropolitan,” says Bishop Hrynchyshyn.
“Pope John XXIII restored the process of beatification. But two years later Cardinal Wyszynski again appealed to the Congregation – and the process was halted. But in 1963, Cardinal Josyf Slipyj returned from exile and testified in the case of Andrey Sheptytsky. And the Pope renewed the process,” said the bishop.
Bishop Mykail Hrynchyshyn noted that the beatification of Metropolitan Andrey is taking a long time, but that it will happen.
“Even today we do not fully understand what a great man God gave the Ukrainian people and the church. We are still learning about the metropolitan today,” he said.
“The Congregation for the Causes of Saints should consider the case of the recovery a girl in the United States. A Ukrainian family prayed to Metropolitan Andrey for the recovery of a child born with disabilities. This case is recorded; the doctors gave their opinions that this was a supernatural phenomenon. I hope that in a year or two the metropolitan will be proclaimed blessed,” said Bishop Mykhail Hrynchyshyn.