Number DOI: http://doi.org/10.33209/2519-4348-2707-9627-2023-11-146

VB. – № 11, 2023. – P. 287-309

Summary

In March 2024, it will be 20 years since the death of Metropolitan Yakov (Panchuk) of Lutsk and Volyn, who headed the Volyn Diocese for nine years. In this article, based on sources, in particular his personal files, as well as individual publications in periodicals of the time, his origin, life path, adoption of monasticism, acquisition of theological education, priestly and episcopal service are highlighted. The analysis of the collected material shows that Bishop Yakiv worked hard during the persecution of the church as the vicar of the Pochaiv monastery, and also played an important role in the creation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, standing near its origins. When in the late 1960’s he became its deacon, and then in 1974 – vicar, the Lavra was in a difficult spiritual and material condition. Due to the external influence of atheism and the struggle of the Soviet authorities against the monastery, the state of the Lavra and the life of the monks were brought to a state of decline, to the almost complete absence of church order and piety. During his eight-year administration of the monastery, Bishop Yakiv restored the order and statutes of monastic life in it. Thanks to his efforts, the Assumption Cathedral and its paintings were restored, and under his leadership, the cathedral built at the beginning of the 20th century was painted according to the project of the architect Shchusev, the Trinity Cathedral, which before that had no paintings. For such work, the Bishop was punished by the authorities and had to hide from its persecution in the Caucasus. Metropolitan Yakiv’s greatest merit to the Ukrainian Church is that of all the bishops of the UOC, he alone remained with his Primate, thanks to which it became possible to revive the hierarchy of the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate, which later in 2018 became the basis for the formation of the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Key words: Metropolitan Yakiv (Panchuk), Bishop, Pochaiv Lavra, Volyn Diocese, Vicar, Cathedral, UOC Kyiv Patriarchate.

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