Blessed Liubomyr, the former Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the first winner of the Ivan Franko International Prize told in an interview titled “Conflict and Las” about ecumenism*, which today is very important for uniting Christians, about  formation of modern peaceful Ukraine and about the importance of such prize as the Ivan Franko International Prize.

Your Beatitude, in 2016 you became the first winner of the Ivan Franko International Prize. What does this Prize mean for you?

– I wrote and defended my PhD Thesis on ecumenical activity of Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytskyi in 1972. It was written in English in Pontifical Urban University of Rome – this is my Doctorate. When I came to Ukraine in 90s, I made many attempts to translate it into Ukrainian. Translation was done, but there were no possibility to publish it. And only in 2015, owning to the personnel of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the translation was completed and a book was published.

As for the prize, I was greatly surprised. It was a great surprise for me that my work has received such a high appraisal of the International Jury. You know, my first thought was like this, I must honestly say, “It is a pity that it had not happen 40 years ago. For sure, it would have been a great joy for a younger man …. I, am an aged man and feel it differently.” However, it was a very big surprise. Of course, I am grateful to those who made this choice and who created this prize.

Your work was written over 40 years ago and relates to ecumenism. Do you think it is relevant to today?

– You know, this issue is very important. But there is a big difference between 70s and present time. For me personally, the difference is that a lot has changed. Now, there is access to certain documents that I have not had a chance to see before, when I was writing my PhD Thesis. Unfortunately, it is quite hard for me to add something, but I sincerely hope that younger scholars will be engaged in this process. It a quite different atmosphere – Ukrainian. It is, on the one hand, is very positive, since it is Ukrainian, and, on the other hand, this atmosphere could have been better if we had worked more towards the unification of Christians in Ukraine – the issue on which Metropolitan Sheptytskyi worked hard at the time.

       The representatives of the Ivan Franko International Fund believe that by promoting prize in scientific world, the Ukrainian humanitaristics may get new incentives for development. Do you share these expectations?

– Yes, probably so! I am very happy that there is such an International Fund, because we need it! We had been so many years under occupation, where the occupants were not interested in development of our science, in our deeper learning of our history, and in general, and raising better understanding of ourselves…Now we have such opportunity (ed. – Ivan Franko International Prize) and I think this is extremely important, and thank God that such initiative exists. God, please help it to develop and let young scientists study the topics that are increasingly important to us, Ukrainians.

  According to many scientists, launching of the Ivan Franko International Prize is quite successful. Your Beatitude, what do you think what should the initiators of the prize do, so as to make it a coveted prize for the scientists in the world?

– I think that the very fact of existence, finding and rewarding works that are really useful for Ukrainian science and Ukrainian consciousness is already a great merit.

What does make the prize more attractive? I think its popularity will grow. My dream is to see development of the Ivan Franko International Prize. I wish that the monographs that will be taken into consideration, and later awarded were better and of higher level every time. I think owning to combination of these measures this prize will gain greater prestige!

Note:

Major Archbishop-Emeritus Liubomyr (Husar) – Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Cardinal of the Catholic Church; Supreme Archbishop of Lviv since January 28, 2001; Supreme Archbishop of Kyievo-Halytskyi since August 25, 2005 till February 10, 2011; Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

He was born on February 26, 1933 in Lviv.

He was appointed Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on January 26, 2001. On February 02, 2001 he was appointed as the Pope Ivan Pavlo II, Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

On February 10, 2011 His Beatitude Liubomyr announced that that day Pope Benedict XVI accepted his renunciation of the office of Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The relevant request to the Holy Father was submitted by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church when he was 75 years old.

Today he is engaged in active social activities. In addition, he is one of the members of the Initiative Group “Pershoho Hrudnia”.

* Ecumenism is the movement for cooperation and understanding between Christians of different denominations.