Metropolitan Makary (Svistun)

Metropolitan Makary (Svistun) (1938-2007)

Makary may be spelt Makarii, Makariy, Makarius, Makcarios, Macarius, Macarios.

Svistun may be spelt Swystun.

Kiev may be spelt Kyiv.

Early life of Leonid Romanovitch Svistun

On 14 September, 1938, Leonid Romanovitch Svistun was born in Kiev, Ukraine, into a family of workers. The term "family of workers" in Soviet times could refer to almost anyone. Regardless and more to the point, Leonid Romanovitch was raised by a family of Orthodox Christians within the bosom of the Orthodox Christian Church.

At that time, Ukraine was a republic of the USSR.

Leonid Romanovitch received his primary and secondary education in Kiev.

Higher education

In 1956, after graduating from secondary school, Leonid entered the Kiev Theological Seminary.

While he was there, he served an obedience as a sexton in the Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr (where rest the incorrupt relics of the Great Virgin Martyr Barbara).

From 1960-1965, Leonid studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy. He received a degree in theology from the seminary.

In 1968, Leonid R Svistun graduated from the Academy, and he received a Ph.D. degree in theology.

Leonid Romanovitch was then sent as an intern to the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Switzerland.

During March and April, 1968, Leonid Romanovitch participated in the work of the Third All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

In the same year Leonid Romanovitch was a delegate from the Russian Orthodox Church at the Fourth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Uppsala, Sweden.

Ordinations, 1968

On 22 May, 1968, Leonid Svistun was ordained to the Holy Diaconate as a celibate by Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad.

On 28 August, 1968, Deacon Leonid Svistun was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov).

Pastoral service

Priest Leonid (Svistun) was assigned to serve in the Kiev Diocese of the Ukrainian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate.

There, Father Leonid focussed his energies and attention on the pastoral responsibilities to which he was assigned in the Kiev Diocese. Throughout his various times of service in Kiev and elsewhere, Father Leonid proved by his behaviour and attitude that he cared for the people. Therefore, the people had love and respect for him, and they showed it. That this was so sometimes made for difficulties with certain powerful personalities.

Monastic tonsure, 1968

On 28 September, 1968, Priest Leonid Svistun was tonsured to be a monk by Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) of Kiev, and he was given the name Makary (after the Hieromartyr Makarii, Metropolitan of Kiev).

Hieromonk Makary (Svistun) was then assigned to be the Dean (key-holder) of Saint Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kiev.

Hieromonk Makary (Svistun) was also assigned to serve as a member of the Kiev branch of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relations (DECR).

From 22 January to 12 February, 1970, Hieromonk Makary (Svistun) travelled around Argentina as a member of the delegation of the Ukrainian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate. Then, as a member of the same delegation, from 13 to 18 February, 1970, he visited Rome and the Vatican.

On 31 May, 1970, Hieromonk Makary (Svistun) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite by Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko).

Archimandrite Makary (Svistun) was then chosen and elected by the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1970

On 7 June, 1970, in the Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr in Kiev, Archimandrite Makary (Svistun) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod ; Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) of Kiev and Galicia ; Metropolitan Pankratiy (Donchev) of Stara Zagora ; Archbishop Palladiy (Kaminsky) of Zhytomyr and Ovruch ; Archbishop Mykola (Yurik) of Lviv and Ternopil ; Bishop Theodosius (Protsyuk) of Chernivtsi and Bukovina.

Saint Volodymyr Cathedral, Kyiv

Episcopal service

Bisop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Bishop of the Uman Vicariate, Uman (in the Cherkasy Province), a vicariate of the Kiev Diocese.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Uman

Assignment to North America, 1970

Soon afterwards, later in 1970, and with this title, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as the Administrator of the Canadian Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate, and as the Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.

The main facilitator of Vladyka Makary's immigration to Canada was Archpriest John Margitich in Edmonton, Alberta. This well-known and well-beloved missionary priest had moved to Edmonton from New York in 1956, and it was Father John who had helped to develop the patriarchal presence in Edmonton. It was he who had initiated the construction of the new Cathedral of Saint Barbara in Edmonton, Alberta, which was completed in 1958.

On 24 February, 1971, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to be present as an observer for the Russian Orthodox Church at the 12th World Methodist Council-Conference in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Cathedral of Saint Barbara, Edmonton, Alberta

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, New York City

Transfer to Europe, 1974

On 26 December, 1974, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was released from his assignment as the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada and the United States.

He was assigned to serve as a Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland, and as the rector of the Stavropegic Parish of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Chêne-Bougeries, Geneva.

Then, in 1975, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as the Permanent Representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia at the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland.

On 17 April, 1975, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as a member of the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Fifth General Assembly of the WCC in Nairobi, Kenya.

Transfer to Ukraine, 1978

On 10 April, 1978, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was released from his responsibilities as the Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the WCC in Geneva.

In April, 1978, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was transferred to the Metropolia of Kiev, where he continued his service as the Bishop of Uman, and as Vicar-Bishop for the Metropolitan of Kiev.

From 20 April to 6 May, 1979, Bishop Makary travelled to the USA, where he participated in a meeting of the Inter-Church Relief Commission for Refugees of the World Council of Churches.

On 7 September, 1979, Bishop Makary (Svistun) was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

On 12-25 May, 1980, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was sent as a member of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) at the World Conference of the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism in Melbourne, Australia.

On 23 December, 1980, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was included in the structure of the Commission of the Holy Synod on the organisation of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.

From 18 to 28 April, 1981, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was sent to Japan as part of a delegation of representatives of churches and religious associations from the USSR.

On 24-26 May, 1982, Vladyka Makary was sent to participate in the consultation of the Eastern European Churches in Sofia, Bulgaria.

On 2-6 June, 1982, Vladyka Makary was sent to participate in a meeting of the KMK International Affairs Commission in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

On 12 October, 1982, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to be the Archbishop of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomeya in Western Ukraine.

From 24 July to 10 August, 1983, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) participated in the 6th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Orthodox bishops participating in the WCC assembly in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 1983

On 26-28 September, 1983, Vladyka Makary attended a Non-Governmental Organisations consultation in Geneva.

On 20-21 May, 1984, as a guest, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was sent to attend the Round Table Conference in New Delhi, India.

Archbishop Makary (Svistun)

Assignment to South America, 1985

On 26 June, 1985, while retaining his title, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina and South America. He was also assigned to serve as the Patriarchal Exarch of Central America and South America.

Holy Annunciation Cathedral, Buenos Aeres, Argentina

From 9 to 19 July, 1985, Vladyka Makary was sent to England to participate in a delegation of the Public Commission of the Soviet Peace Committee.

On 4 October, 1985, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was released from his responsibilities in the Argentina Diocese and as the Exarch of Central America and South America, and he was returned to the Ivano-Frankivsk diocese because of an illness.

Assignment to North America, 1990

On 19 March, 1990, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was released from his service in the Diocese of Ivano-Frankivsk.

On 20 July, 1990, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was transferred, and he was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Klin (a town in the Moscow Province), and Vicar-Archbishop of the Moscow Diocese.

On 20 July, 1990, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve again as the Temporary Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchal parishes in the USA, and as the Temporary Administrator of the patriarchal parishes in Canada.

While he was caring for the patriarchal parishes in both countries, Archbishop Makary lived primarily in New York City. From there, he made pastoral visitations to Canada ; and from there, in mid-March, 1991, he returned to Edmonton, Alberta, for the funeral services of the Mitred Archpriest John Margitich. Vladyka Makary said about Father John at the time that :

 He gave love and compassion to the people ; he strived all his life to bring to the people 
 love, peace and joy.  He could be found wherever there was sorrow, sickness and loneliness.

It is the experience of many that Vladyka Makary was such a person himself.

Assignments in Ukraine, 1992

In 1992, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was released from his responsibilities as the Temporary Administrator of the Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Canada and of the Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA. He was also released from his responsibilities as the Archbishop of Klin and Vicar-Bishop of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In June, 1992, when supporters of the self-proclaimed Kyiv Patriarchate seized the Kiev Caves Lavra, he took active steps to have it returned. Addressing the thousands of Orthodox believers who were gathered at the Far Caves, Metropolitan Makary (Svistun) urged his fellow Kievites to be faithful to their Mother and Canonical Church, to the Kharkov Bishops' Council, and to their newly-elected Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan). Vladyka Makary urged the people : “Go to all the churches and monasteries of Kiev and declare that Filaret is an impostor, a mobster and a criminal".

On 22 June, 1992 Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Vinnytsia and Bratslav.

Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Vinnitsia

In addition, from 1992, he was assigned to be the Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations (DECR) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

On 4 October, 1994, after the separation of Bratslav from Vinnytsia and the subdivision of the Vinnytsia Diocese, Archbishop Makary was assigned to be the archbishop of the new Vinnytsia and Mohilev-Podilsk Diocese. This was at a time during which very large dioceses were being divided, so that each resulting diocese would be of a more manageable size. Even halved, this diocese retained 300 parishes, and the number of parishes continued to grow.

In 1997, while he was serving as the chairman of the DECR of the Church in Ukraine, he had the responsibility of organising the official visit by Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington to Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kyiv. There are many memorable stories still told by members of the entourage about this visit. Several events illustrated the sense of humour of both Metropolitan Volodymyr and Archbishop Makary. For instance, a supposedly "secret" visit by Metropolitan Theodosius (with 1 or 2 members of the entourage) by subway to "McDonald's" one evening was mentioned by Metropolitan Volodymyr at breakfast the next day (he being obviously amused) as though it were already public knowledge.

In 1997, Archbishop Makary tried to address in writing and speaking the developing difficulties that were arising in Ukraine as a consequence of the changes that were being made to the marketing and selling of goods and services (as compared with the former Soviet system). Because of his experiences in the West, he could readily see the dangers that accompany the western style of marketing, particularly with regard to the increase of dishonesty.

In 2000, Archbishop Makary (Svistun) was raised to the dignity of metropolitan.

Metropolitan Makary (Svistun)

Repose, 2007

On 6 June, 2007, after a long and severe illness, Metropolitan Makary (Svistun) reposed in the Lord in Germany (where he had been receiving treatment in a clinic).

His body was brought first from Germany to Kyiv, to the Kyiv Caves Lavra, for the first public memorial prayers ("panikhida").

Metropolitan Makary was deeply loved by throngs of Kyivites, who showed it through their presence.

His body was then returned to Vinnytsia for the funeral services.

After the Service of the Burial of a Hierarch, his body was interred near the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Vinnytsia.

— Bishop of Uman, Ukraine 1970-1979.

— Vicar-Bishop of the Kiev Diocese 1970-1982.

— Administrator of the MP Canadian and USA Parishes 1970-1974. Preceded by : Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk), Bishop of Edmonton. Succeeded by : Bishop Job (Tyvoniuk) (as Bishop of Zaraisk).

— Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva. 1974-1978.

— Archbishop of Uman, Ukraine, 1979-1982.

— Archbishop of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomeya 1982-1990. Preceded by : Bishop Joseph (Savrash). Succeeded by : Bishop Theodosiy (Dikun).

— Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina and South America 1985. Preceded by : Bishop Lazar (Shvets). Succeeded by : Bishop Lazar (Shvets).

— Patriarchal Exarch of Central America and South America 1985.

— Vicar-Archbishop of Klin, Russia 1990-1992. Preceded by : Bishop Gabriel (Krasnovsky). Succeeded by : Archbishop Longin (Talypin).

— Administrator of the MP Canadian and USA Parishes 1990-1992. Preceded by : Archbishop Nikolai (Shkrumko). Succeeded by : Bishop Paul (Ponomarev).

— Archbishop of Vinnytsia and Bratslav 1992-1994. Preceded by : Metropolitan Agafangel (Savvin). The See was divided and separated.

— Archbishop of Vinnytsia and Mohilev-Podilsk 1994-2000. A new See was established.

— Metropolitan of Vinnytsia and Mohilev-Podilsk 2000-2007. Succeeded by : Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatskyi).

Reflections

As a bishop, he served during 3 distinct periods as the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in North America.

Awards

• Order of Saint Prince Vladimir, 2nd degree (5 September, 1977)

• Order of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, 1st degree (on his 50th anniversary, 9 September, 1988)

• Order of Saint Prince Daniel of Moscow, 2nd degree

• Order of Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, 2nd degree (October 17, 2003)

• Order of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Kyiv Caves of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1st degree

• Order of the Cross of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church

• Order of the Great-martyr George the Victorious of the Georgian Orthodox Church

• Order of the Holy Equals to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church

• Order of Saint Mary Magdalene of the Polish Orthodox Church

Writings

• "Monks in the history of ancient Russian art" (Candidate essay).

• ‘Speech upon Election to be the Bishop of Uman’ in “The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (JMP)”, no. 8 (1970), p. 9-11.

• ‘A Visit by the Exarch of Ukraine to Argentine Parishes’ in “JMP”, no. 8 (1970), pp. 15-19.

• ‘Reconciliation and Peacemaking’ (Report on the meeting of the Ecumenical Working Group on Information in Europe, compiled September 19-23, 1979) in “JMP”, no. 11 (1979), pp. 59-62.

• “Presentation at the solemn Ceremony dedicated to the Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Lviv Church Council” (Lviv, May 17-19, 1986), no. 8 (1986), pp. 13-16.

• 'Formation of the Market and actual Problems of preserving Morality (Report at the conference “As much as possible, be at peace with everyone ...”)’ in “Zaporozhye Orthodox News”, nos. 4-6 (1997).

• “Selected Works and Sermons” (in the Kyiv Theological Seminary library)

Partial bibliography of articles by others from various sources about the metropolitan :

Articles from the “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (JMP)” :

• 1967 - no. 10, p. 3.

• 1970 - no. 4, p. 10 ; no. 7, p. 9 ; no. 8, pp. 8-19 ; no. 9, p. 2 ; no. 11, pp. 13-14.

• 1971 - no. 4, p. 4 ; no. 3, p. 11 ; no. 6, pp. 2, 39 ; no. 8, p. 45 ; no. 9, p. 35 ; no. 12, pp. 36, 39.

• 1972 - no. 3, p. 20 ; no. 6, p. 44 ; no. 9, p. 24.

• 1973 - no. 11, pp. 28-29, 32, 33, 34 ; no. 12, pp. 20-21, 22.

• 1974 - no. 1, p. 21 ; no. 10, pp. 24, 26 ; no. 11, pp. 9, 22.

• 1975 - no. 2, pp. 3, 27 ; no. 4, p. 3 ; no. 6, pp. 4, 15 ; no. 9, pp. 52-57 ; no. 10, p. 28.

• 1976 - no. 2, p. 12 ; no. 3, p. 7 ; no. 12, p. 4.

• 1977 - no. 8, p. 8 ; no. 11, p. 3.