Metropolitan Borys Gudziak spoke about Lubomyr Husar's extraordinary personality in 'Join the Great' project
"We can say that His Beatitude Lubomyr has become the best intellectual and theological expert in Metropolitan Andrey's legacy," the Bishop is confident.
According to him, following the ideal of Metropolitan Andrey, Lubomyr Husar joined the monastic Studite Brotherhood, which was restored at the beginning of the twentieth century.
"It was not just some kind of institutional step. It was the acceptance into the depths of the heart and soul of the spiritual heritage that Metropolitan Andrey cherished, but which was the heritage of the Ecumenical Church, in its eastern Byzantine form," Metropolitan Borys stressed.
"In the 70s, then Father Lubomyr, and later Archimandrite became one of the closest collaborators of patriarch Yosyp Slipyi, who later secretly ordained him as a bishop. In the year 1980, when it came to choosing a successor to the head and father of the Church, His Beatitude Yosyp proposed his candidate, Lubomyr Husar. Then he failed. However, Lubomyr Husar fulfilled his mission to lead the Church later and continued the great work of his predecessors with dignity," the Bishop said in the video.
Our Church saw its greatest flourishing during the years of his ministry in 2005 when he moved his settlement to Kyiv. "We saw the flowering of a tree that had roots sown by Metropolitan Andrey and Patriarch Yosyp," he added.
According to Metropolitan Borys, His Beatitude Lubomyr was different from his predecessors, but in various difficult moments of life, he looked at the example of his spiritual mentors. Of course, researchers will be able to indicate in more detail where the example of the righteous Andrey or Patriarch Yosyp influenced the actions and decisions of His Beatitude Lubomyr.
"Ukraine fell in love with Lubomyr Husar in a special way, because he became the greatest moral authority of our country and, perhaps, even after his death, remains so. Behind him is the legacy of Metropolitan Andrey and Patriarch Yosyp Slipyy. God grant that we can build on the legacy of our great spiritual leaders, to which Lubomyr Husar belongs," the Archbishop and Metropolitan of Philadelphia concluded.
Background information
May 31, 2020, in the parish of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Vinnytsia the project "join the Great" was launched in the parish of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the purpose of which is to allow everyone to join the great gift of knowledge of the Great Man – His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, whom the Lord invited to a majestic journey throughout his life.
10 Pieces of Advice of His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar for Ukrainians
Lubomyr Husar headed the UGCC for ten years. He moved the church cell from Lviv to the capital, giving the denomination the nationwide dimension.
In 2005, he was one of the candidates for the Vatican throne. He became the first head in the history of the UGCC to voluntarily abdicate, and, who, as he put it, transferred control of the church to Patriarch Svyatoslav "with a warm hand". He decided that young enthusiasts should rule the Church.
Archbishop Lubomyr has become a moral authority for Ukraine. His Beatitude preached not only in the church. He reached out to people and touched every heart with his simple words.
"If you want to pass over a good, kind state onto your children and grandchildren, do good. With God's help, do good. Have no fear," Lubomir (Guzar) instructed during the Revolution of Dignity.
He was a member of the "First of December" initiative group.
He died on May 31, 2017, in Kyiv. The great Ukrainian was buried in the Crypt of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the UGCC in Kyiv.
