www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky, 70th Anniversary

Prayer for Beatification of Servant of God Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky

O My God, I adore Your infinite Majesty with all the powers of my soul.

I thank You for the graces and gifts which You did bestow upon Your faithful Servant Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky.

I ask You to glorify him also on earth with evident proofs and miracles.

For this end I beseech You to give me the favor, which I humbly ask from Your Fatherly mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of Your Mother grant that Your faithful Servant Metropolitan Sheptytsky be proclaimed a saint for the greater glory of God, for the salvation of souls and the good of our Catholic Church.

Amen.


from the website of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma.

Not too long ago, there was a meeting of Ukrainian church leaders in Ottawa, Canada where the parliament of Canada issued a statement in honour of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky and his humanitarian efforts.

Included in that meeting were Ukrainian Jewish leaders who had earlier declared Sheptytsky a "Righteous of the Nations" for his rescue of persecuted Jews in Ukraine. Sheptytsky had also encouraged his priests to rescue Jews and one of those who did so at the cost of his life was the Blessed New Hieromartyr Emilian Kovch.

The UOC-KP Patriarch Filaret also travelled to Ottawa and was there to show the support and esteem of many Ukrainian Orthodox for Sheptytsky.

Sheptytsky publicly criticized those who burned Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in western Ukraine, he conducted wide ecumenical talks with the Orthodox and personally saved Russian Orthodox from certain death as they escaped the Bolshevik terror.

In 1946, when the Soviet-controlled ROC inaugurated its "pseudo-sobor" at which the UGCC was forcibly united to the ROC, the ROC allowed for an Orthodox cultus of Sheptytsky (for example, that "sobor" ended with a prayer in which Sheptytsky was mentioned). It was only in the 1950's that Sheptytsky's rooms were sealed off to prevent anyone from visiting them or praying at them.

By the same token, let us pray that the Church of Rome, for which Sheptytsky laboured so long and hard and at great personal cost, will see fit to raise him to the honour of the altars soon.

Alex

Господи Ісусе Христе, Ти завжди нагороджуєш Твоїх вірних слуг не тільки особливішими дарами Своєї любови, але й вічною нагородою святих у небі, а в многих випадках і прославою на Твоїх святих престолах, тут на землі.

Покірно благаємо Тебе - зволь так прославити Твого вірного слугу Митрополита Андрея. Він упродовж свого праведного життя, 'повного терпінь і досвідів,' був добрим пастирем свого стада і великим подвижником церковної єдности. А через його прославу і заступництво пошли і цілому народові нашому великий дар єдности і любови.

Амінь

An English translation of the above prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, You always reward Your faithful servants not only with the particular gifts of Your love, but also with an eternal reward in heaven, and in many instances with their glorification on Your holy altars, here on earth.

"We humbly beseech You to deign to so glorify Your faithful servant Metropolitan Andrew. Throughout his righteous life, full of suffering and testing, he was a good pastor of his flock and a great proponent of church unity. Through his glorification and intercession bestow on our entire people the great gift of unity and love. Amen."

Alex