The Contribution of Ukrainian Hetmans to the Development of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine in the 17th–18th centuries

Abstract

The relevance of the topic of research is due to the significant wealth of factors and factors - political, ideological, cultural, spiritual and worldview. During the reign of the hetmans in the period of modern Ukrainian history (from Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny to Ivan Mazepa), the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the center of the Metropolis in Kyiv (in spiritual unity with the Ecumenical Patriarchate) occupied important gaps - from the spiritual, cultural and ideological component to practical social functions. Further functions, in the sense of national development, were limited by the political and ideological framework, which, at one time, were determined by the policy of this state, which further included the divided and occupied Ukrainian lands in the 18th – 20th centuries, in the first moment, the Russian Empire (1721 – 1917) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922 – 1991), in which the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, already annexed by Muscovy (1721), became a structural unit of the Russian Orthodox Church, which pursued the Moscow state imperial policy and ideology. Today, part of this empire takes the form of modern Moscow neo-imperialism, which generates it, implements and supports the current political leadership of the erephy and the Moscow Patriarchate. During the period of the modern Russian-Ukrainian hybrid war – from February 20, 2014, and the full-scale Russian military invasion – from February 24, 2022, in particular, the Russian Orthodox Church has practically lost its influence on the territory of modern Ukraine, although it is still one of the most structured religious organizations in our state, which preaches the anti-Ukrainian hostile ideology of the “Russian world”. Along with this, the Local Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Orthodox Church of Ukraine) was united and proclaimed (12/15/2018), which began the historical path to the proclamation of its autocephaly since the times of the Ukrainian People's Republic (1917 – 1921), which was crowned with the success of obtaining the Tomos on its church independence. (05-06.01.2019), today has become the basis of the spiritual and national unity of the Ukrainian people, in particular, in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war (2014 - 2025). Its clergy and faithful work tirelessly at the front and in the rear as military chaplains and volunteers, as leaders of the Ukrainian national idea and spirituality.

The purpose of the study is to describe historical facts that highlight the relationship between Ukrainian hetmans and the Orthodox Church during the hetman's rule in Ukraine, starting from the activities of Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny to Ivan Mazepa in the early 17th - early 18th centuries. The research methodology is based on achievements made in the fields of theology, philosophy (philosophy of religion), religious studies, sociology of religion, cultural studies, history, history of religion and political science. The main principles related to this methodology are: objectivity, historicism, systematicity, complexity and comprehensiveness. In particular, the following methods are used in theology: exegetical, historical, comparative theology. In the field of religious studies, the following methods are used: dialectical, phenomenological and hermeneutic. In the field of sociology of religion, the following methods are used (which are suitable for this study): cross-cultural comparative analysis, content analysis, and analysis of written sources and historical documents. From the point of view of Christian theology, in Orthodoxy the main source of theology is the Holy Scripture and the Holy Tradition; at the same time the Holy Scripture (Bible) is the most important form (part) of the Holy Tradition. Also important in this aspect is the Catechism "Orthodox Confession of the Catholic and Apostolic Church of the East" by St. Peter Mohyla (1596 - 1647), Metropolitan of Kyiv, Galicia and All Russia (1633 - 1647), Exarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (1633 - 1647). The conclusions of the study are set out in the following provisions: 1. During the reign of the Hetmans of Ukraine, close relations developed between the Hetmanate (at various periods of its existence in the early 17th – early 18th centuries) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the center of the Metropolis in Kyiv (in spiritual unity with the Ecumenical Patriarchate). 2. The Hetmans of Ukraine (from Petro Konashevych-Sagaydachny to Ivan Mazepa inclusive) made significant efforts to preserve and develop the national church in various directions: through the revival of the episcopal hierarchy, the activities of Orthodox brotherhoods, through the support of Orthodox theological education, through the preservation, development, establishment of new and further support of Orthodox churches and monasteries, printing of theological literature, through the celebration of Christian Orthodox holidays, through the comprehensive introduction and support of Orthodox rites, traditions, symbols and rituals, etc.