Ukrainization of the Orthodox Church in Volyn in 1918–1939: stages, achievements, and counteraction

Abstract

The relevance of the research topic is due to the need to study the processes of preserving Ukrainian national identity in the interwar period. After Volhynia became part of the Polish Republic, the Orthodox population of the region underwent a policy of Polonization, as a result of which the Orthodox Church performed the functions of not only a religious institution, but also became an important center of national life. The study of the Ukrainization of the church environment allows us to trace the role of the religious factor in the formation of the national consciousness of Ukrainians. The purpose of the article is to comprehensively analyze the prerequisites, stages and consequences of the Ukrainization of the Orthodox Church in 1918–1939, as well as to determine the forms of counteraction to this process by the Polish authorities and pro-Russian church circles. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity and systematicity. Comparative historical, statistical methods, as well as the method of analyzing archival documents and periodicals were used. Research results. It was established that the origins of the Ukrainization of Orthodoxy in Volhynia date back to the beginning of the 20th century. and became more active during the revolutionary events of 1918. The leading center of the movement was the Volyn diocese, where, thanks to the activities of the Ukrainian intelligentsia and nationally conscious clergy, the Ukrainian language was gradually introduced into worship, church records, and religious education. At the same time, the process was accompanied by sharp confrontation with the pro-Russian clergy and the ambiguous policy of the Polish administration. Despite this, by 1937, the Ukrainian language was used to one degree or another in more than half of the Orthodox parishes of Volyn. Conclusions. The Ukrainization of the Orthodox Church became an important factor in preserving the national identity of the Ukrainians of Volyn and contributed to the strengthening of their national consciousness in the conditions of interwar Poland.