Archbishop Vsevolod (Maidanski)

Archbishop Vsevolod (Maidanski) (1927-2007)

Majdanski may be spelt Maidanski, Majdansky, Maidansky.

Wasylij may be spelt Wasyly, Vasiliy, Vasioios, Basil.

Early life of Vsevolod Kolomijcew-Maidanski

Vsevolod Kolomijcew-Maidanski, son of Protopresbyter Wasylij and Panimatka Maria Kolomijcew-Maidanski, was born in Kalisz, Poland on 10 December, 1927. Vesevolod was raised in the bosom of the Polish Orthodox Church.

Vsevolod received his elementary and secondary education in Poland. This included his studies at the "gymnasium" level.

Higher education

Vsevolod then began his studies in theology at the Warsaw Orthodox Theological Seminary.

He lived principally in Kalisz along with his parents and his sister Ilaria until 1945.

Exile, 1945

In 1945, the Kolomijcew-Maidanski family fled westwards from the approaching Soviet army. The Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Western Europe at the time did not have authority in Germany, so it was Metropolitan Seraphim (Lade) of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) who looked after the interests of Church of Constantinople there, and it was he who provided letters of safe transit for the Orthodox Christian clergy in Poland fleeing the Soviets. The Maidanski family took 5 months in 1945 to arrive in Luxembourg, and they were able eventually to settle in Germany for a time.

Further education

In Germany, Vsevolod continued and completed his theological studies at the Dillingen Theological University.

In 1949, the Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in Australia were being organised, and the Faithful wrote to several priests located in Germany (Protopresbyter Wasylij Maidanski being one of them), and asked that they consider moving to Australia.

Emigration to Australia, 1949

Father Wasylij agreed, and the entire Maidanski family emigrated to Australia to serve the spiritual needs of the Faithful in Sydney and other cities. Vsevolod continued his higher education at the Sydney and Melbourne Universities in Australia.

The family hoped in time to be able to move to the USA, where a large Ukrainian community had developed following the end of World War II. Vsevolod's mother reposed in 1952 in Australia.

Emigration to the USA, 1955

In 1955, Vsevolod and his sister received visa-opportunities to emigrate to the USA. His sister emigrated first, but Vsevolod remained in Australia to complete his undergraduate education. Afterwards, he and Protopresbyter Wasylij also moved to the USA, and took up residence in the centre of the Ukrainian community in New York City.

Vsevolod began his graduate studies at Yeshiva University in New York City. He graduated in 1964 with a diploma in Clinical Psychotherapy, and he was appointed to the Medical Faculty of Einstein College as a psychotherapist specialising in family and youth therapy. He received his field practice working with families at the Jewish Family Service and also in group therapy, working with institutionalised youth at the Jewish Board of Guardians. He was then appointed as Principal Associate in Medicine at the Medical School of Yeshiva University.

Protopresbyter Wasylij Maidanski reposed in 1961. This brought Vsevolod more intimately into the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA. In 1985, he more strongly felt the call of the Lord to serve Him. Metropolitan Andrei (Kuschak), who led the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) is the one who personally encouraged him over the years to accept ordination.

Ordinations, 1985

In 1985, Vsevolod Maidanski was ordained to the Holy Diaconate and then to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Andrei (Kuschak).

Pastoral service

The Priest Vsevolod Maidanski was assigned to serve at the metropolitan’s side for 2 years.

Monastic tonsure, 1987

In 1987, the priest Vsevolod Maidanski was tonsured to be a monk and given the name Vsevolod.

He was also elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Metropolitan Andrew reposed in that same year. Archimandrite Vsevolod was nominated by the diocesan assembly to become his successor, and the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Patriarchate of Constantinople elected him to become a bishop, and the successor to Metropolitan Andrei.

Episcopal ordination, 1987

Archimandrite Vsevolod (Maidanski) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate (with the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Demetrios I (Papadopoulos)) on 27 September 1987, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, New York City, by Archbishop Iakovos (Coucouzis), Metropolitan Silas (Koskinas), Bishop Athenagoras (Aneste) and Bishop Philip (Koutoufas).

Episcopal service

Bishop Vsevolod (Maidanski) was assigned to be the Titular Bishop of Skopelos.

From 1987 through 1996, Bishop Vsevolod served as the Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America (Ecumenical Patriarchate). He developed a closer relationship with the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and he was supportive of the invitation by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA to come under the omophor of the Patriarchate.

Following the acceptance of this invitation, Bishop Vsevolod and the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, having been strongly urged to do so by the Sobors of both jurisdictions, became resolute in their desire and efforts to reach the long-dreamed-of goal of finally uniting the 2 jurisdictions.

Unification of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America (Ecumenical Patriarchate) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, 1996

This unification took place at the Metropolia Centre of the UOC of the USA in South Bound Brook, New Jersey in November, 1996.

In 1997, Bishop Vsevolod was appointed to be the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA with his episcopal see in Chicago, Illinois.

Bishop Vsevolod was enthroned at Saint Volodymyr's Cathedral on 2 March, 1997, in Chicago, Illinois.

At the same time that he was chosen and enthroned, he was also elevated to the dignity of archbishop by the Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

In 2000, Bishop Vsevolod (Maidanski) was formally elevated to the dignity of archbishop by the Holy Synod of Constantinople.

During this time, it happened that most of the parishes in Canada which had previously belonged to his responsibility were transferred to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. One of them was transferred to the American Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox Diocese.

From the time of his episcopal ordination, Archbishop Vsevolod had been active in the ecumenical dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and in numerous other ecumenical dialogues. The book, "We are All Brothers", a collection of his writings and speeches, was published in 1999, and a second volume was published in 2006.

He helped to initiate and organise the Orientale Lumen conferences in Washington, DC, which have met annually since 1997. He was a plenary-session speaker, and he led many of the prayer services at these ecumenical meetings.

At an Orientale Lumen conference

He was a founder and was the Orthodox co-patron of the Society of Saint John Chrysostom, and co-founder of the Kyivan Church Study Group.

He was chosen to represent the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Jerusalem Conference of Science and Religion, at the Milan Conference of Inter-Church Relations, and he was a member of the official Patriarchal delegation to Rome for the Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul in the Jubilee Year of 2000. He was received in several private audiences by the late Pope John Paul II and by Pope Benedict XVI.

A papal reception

Archbishop Vsevolod represented the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA in continued discussions with the various factions of Ukrainian Orthodoxy in Ukraine throughout the last 10 years of his life.

The archbishop was fluent in several European languages. He was a member of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Academy of Social Workers (he had a diploma in Clinical Psychotherapy).

In March, 2003, President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine awarded Archbishop Vsevolod the “Order of Merit – 3rd Degree” for his efforts to achieve Orthodox Christian unity in Ukraine, for his contributions to inter-confessional relations and his charitable activity.

Later, in 2007, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko awarded him with the “Order of Merit – 2nd Degree” in honour of his 80th birthday.

Archbishop Vsevolod sponsored several theology students from Ukraine in pursuing graduate education in theology in Greece and other countries. He was a member of the Council of Bishops and the Metropolitan Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. He particularly enjoyed spending time with the youth of the Church – especially during the Saint Thomas Sunday-Provody Pilgrimage at South Bound Brook each year, and at the annual convention of the Junior Ukrainian Orthodox League of the USA.

In 2007, Archbishop Vsevolod fell seriously ill, although he managed to attend the celebration of his 80th birthday and the 20th anniversary of his episcopal ordination on 9 December. Nevertheless, the strain of the difficult treatments for his illness proved to be too much for his heart.

Repose, 2007

Archbishop Vsevolod (Maidanski) reposed in the Lord on 16 December, 2007 in Chicago.

The Funeral Service for the Burial of a Hierarch was served at Saint Volodymyr's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago.

After the funeral services, his body was transported to the Saint Andrew Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, New Jersey (headquarters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church), where the Divine Liturgy was served before the interment there.

Vladyka Vsevolod was survived by his sister, Ilaria, of San Diego, California.

— Bishop of Skopelos 1987-2000.

— Archbishop of Skopelos 2000-2007. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : Bishop Pangratios (Dubas).

— Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America (EP) 1987-1996. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : Union with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America within the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

— Archbishop of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (USA) 1997-2007. Preceded by : Bishop Mstyslav (Skrypnyk). Succeeded by : Bishop Daniel (Zelinskiy) of Pamphilion.

Reflections

It was a deep and heartfelt concern of Vladyka Vsevolod (Maidanski) that the spiritual divisions amongst Ukrainians be overcome, if possible. For this reason, he frequently visited not only Ukraine, but also the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to whom he looked for any possible solution amongst the Orthodox Christians in particular. His concern, however, was not limited only to the Orthodox.

The background, experience and education of Vladyka Vsevolod enabled him to look deeper into the possibilities of a reconciliation between the Ukrainian Catholics (Uniats) of Ukraine and the Orthodox Christians. As difficult as was the path towards overcoming the differences amongst the Orthodox Christians, the challenges were greater yet in finding any path towards unity with the Unia. Such a resolution had to involve the Roman Catholic Church with which it was united. This was one of the causes for his support of the "Orientale Lumen" conferences.

Vladyka Vsevolod travelled widely and frequently, and he established a great many personal connexions amongst all the leaders of the concerned entities. Through these connexions, he did his best to promote clarity of communication and any steps towards the hoped-for unity.

During his life-time, both in the USA and in Canada, the independent and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox diocese came into unity with each other under the omophor of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1996.

In North America, Archbishop Vsevolod was a member of the Standing Committee of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas(SCOBA), and in this capacity, he was a regular participant in the dialogues between the bishops of the SCOBA and the bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in the USA (USCCB), and other inter-Christian dialogues.

Awards

• Order of Merit, 3rd Degree (Ukraine), 2003, by President Leonid Kuchma

• Order of Merit, 2nd Degree (Ukraine), 2007, by President Viktor Yushchenko

Writings

• “We are All Brothers” (Fairfax, VA : Eastern Christian Publications, 1999), a collection of the writings of Archbishop Vselovod (Maidansky) in 3 volumes. Translated into Ukrainian by O Grabovetskogo (Lviv : Svichado, 2006).