Fr. Klymentii Sheptytskyi — candidate for the office of auxiliary bishop (with the right of succession) of the Archeparchy of Lviv

Abstract

In 1917, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi is returning from Russian captivity. And although he arrives to his native eparchy with the glory of a tsarist prisoner, nevertheless, the period of his exile has greatly affected his health. Realizing the challenges facing him, he begins consultations with his closest associates on the candidacy of a bishop-assistant for Lviv Archeparchy. Lviv Chapter considered the Metropolitan’s native brother, Father Klymentii Sheptytskyi, to be the most suitable candidate. However both of them, he personally, as well as Metropolitan Andrey, were categorically against it. Despite this, the Capitular Fathers tried, often bypassing the person of Metropolitan Andrey, to convince the Apostolic Capital to use its authority and under obedience to make Father Klymentii agree to accept the title of the Assistant Bishop of Lviv with the rights of succession. And although in the meantime His Most Reverend Bishop Ivan Buchko became the Assistant Bishop of Lviv, nevertheless, the case of Klymentii Sheptytskyi candidacy for the BishopAssistant of Lviv Archeparchy with the rights of succession was in procedure until December 22, 1939, when Metropolitan Andrey secretly ordained Father Josyf Slipyj as his assistant and successor.

In the Central State Historical Archive of Lviv there are several files containing correspondence which shed light on the issue of the candidacy of Father Klymentii Sheptytskyi for the bishop-assistant of Lviv with the rights of succession. It is this correspondence that formed the basis of the present article. All documents are published for the first time.