The Role of the Greek Catholic Clergy in the Reconstruction of Parish Infrastructure after World War I

Анотація

The article is devoted to analyzing the role of the Greek Catholic clergy in the reconstruction of parish infrastructure in Eastern Halychyna after World War I. A comprehensive study was conducted to examine the socio-economic and cultural conditions surrounding the restoration of church buildings, parish houses, farms, and educational centers.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the specifics and scope of the participation of the Greek Catholic clergy in the processes of reconstruction of parish infrastructure in Eastern Halychyna in the interwar period, to identify the main models of behavior of priests, vectors of interaction with the laity and institutional mechanisms for mobilizing resources in difficult post-war conditions.

The results of the study indicate that the reconstruction of parish infrastructure after World War I became one of the determining factors in the preservation of not only the religious, but also the national life of Ukrainian communities in Eastern Halychyna. In conditions of material hardship, political instability and destruction of institutional structures, it was the Greek Catholic clergy that took responsibility for the restoration of churches, parish residences, schools and public buildings that were damaged during the hostilities. The effectiveness of the restoration processes was directly related to the level of personal initiative of the priest, his authority among the faithful and the ability to establish cooperation with the parish community. In the absence of proper state support for Ukrainian denominations, the main source of funds was donations from the faithful, parish fees, income from church land ownership, and in some cases the sale of part of the parish property. Such a model forced the clergy to resort to independent search for resources - through interaction with patrons, Ukrainian organizations, as well as through the involvement of cooperative structures. The GCC as an institution played a special role in coordinating the restoration processes. The episcopacies approved the creation of specialized societies, such as "Tekton", and also encouraged priests to collaborate with architects, engineers and artists.