Changes

In the 18th century, most of Ukraine came under the rule of the [[Russian Empire|Tsars of Moscow]], who began a systematic persecution of Ukrainian Catholic Christianity. Only the western part of Ukraine, with [[Lviv]] as its capital, which remained under [[Austria]] and later [[Poland]], was able to preserve ecclesiastical communion with Rome. This Church thrived under the charismatic leadership of Metropolitan [[Andrey Sheptytsky]], who served as [[Archbishop of Lviv]] from [[1900]] to [[1944]].

In the 18th century, most of Ukraine came under the rule of the [[Russian Empire|Tsars of Moscow]], who began a systematic persecution of Ukrainian Catholic Christianity. Only the western part of Ukraine, with [[Lviv]] as its capital, which remained under [[Austria]] and later [[Poland]], was able to preserve ecclesiastical communion with Rome. This Church thrived under the charismatic leadership of Metropolitan [[Andrey Sheptytsky]], who served as [[Archbishop of Lviv]] from [[1900]] to [[1944]].

Only the western part of Ukraine, with Lviv as its capital, which remained under the [[Austrian Empire]] and later under Poland, was able to retain ecclesiastical communion with Rome. The Austrians granted freedom of worship to the Greek Catholic Church and eliminated Polish influence. They also ordered that seminarians receive formal higher education (previously, priests had been informally educated by their parents) and organized institutions in Vienna and Lviv to serve this purpose.<ref>Himka, John Paul. (1999). ''Religion and Nationality in Western Ukraine.'' McGill-Queen's University Press: Montreal and Kingston. Pg. 6.</ref> However, there was some fear in Rome that some elements of the Church might succumb to Orthodox apostasy:<ref>Conde, 1903, p. 448 "The sympathies that the Ruthenians had for the Russians, largely justified by the despotism of the Poles, led to repeated attempts at emancipation and a manifest tendency to strengthen ties with Russia. Though this tendency has almost completely disappeared today, it still remains a great danger for the Church, due to the political influence of Pan-Slavism fostered by the growing power of the Muscovite Empire and the efforts of some schismatics"</ref>. The Pope in 1891 sent Cardinal [[Agostino Ciasca|Ciasca]], who held the Lviv Synod from September to October of the same year; the Augustinians of Spain considered the Synod to be highly successful.<ref>Conde, 1903, p. 450"It is not in our plan to rework the history of the Lviv Synod, a significant event in the religious life of that country: suffice it to know that the people, agitated by internal discord, with wavering faith, and inclined towards the Russian schism, have been regenerated by the decisions of the Council, and are now strongly aligned with Rome."</ref>

Only the western part of Ukraine, with Lviv as its capital, which remained under the [[Austrian Empire]] and later under Poland, was able to retain ecclesiastical communion with Rome. The Austrians granted freedom of worship to the Greek Catholic Church and eliminated Polish influence. They also ordered that seminarians receive formal higher education (previously, priests had been informally educated by their parents) and organized institutions in Vienna and Lviv to serve this purpose.<ref>Himka, John Paul. (1999). ''Religion and Nationality in Western Ukraine.'' McGill-Queen's University Press: Montreal and Kingston. Pg. 6.</ref> However, there was some fear in Rome that some elements of the Church might succumb to Orthodox apostasy:<ref>Conde, 1903, p. 448 "The sympathies that the Ruthenians had for the Russians, largely justified by the despotism of the Poles, led to repeated attempts at emancipation and a manifest tendency to strengthen ties with Russia. Though this tendency has almost completely disappeared today, it still remains a great danger for the Church, due to the political influence of [[Pan-Slavism]] fostered by the growing power of the Muscovite Empire and the efforts of some schismatics"</ref>. The Pope in 1891 sent Cardinal [[Agostino Ciasca|Ciasca]], who held the Lviv Synod from September to October of the same year; the Augustinians of Spain considered the Synod to be highly successful.<ref>Conde, 1903, p. 450"It is not in our plan to rework the history of the Lviv Synod, a significant event in the religious life of that country: suffice it to know that the people, agitated by internal discord, with wavering faith, and inclined towards the Russian schism, have been regenerated by the decisions of the Council, and are now strongly aligned with Rome."</ref>

At the end of the century, many faithful emigrated to the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Of the estimated 5 million Greek Catholics living in Central Europe at the start of the 20th century, only about 10,000 were outside the Austro-Hungarian borders. It was estimated that there were 3,134,000 Greek Catholics, mostly Ukrainians (and the rest Poles) in the Metropolis of Lviv, including its suffragan eparchies of Stanislav (or Ivano-Frankivsk) and Przemyśl, while the Metropolis of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia with its suffragans of Lugoj, Oradea, and Gherla had 1,267,000 Greek Catholics, mostly Romanians (and the rest Hungarians). In Hungary, the eparchies of Mukachevo and Prešov, suffragans of the Archdiocese of Esztergom, had 562,000 faithful, mostly Ruthenians (and the rest Slovaks and Hungarians), and the eparchy of Križevci, suffragan of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, had 25,000 faithful, both Croats and Ruthenians.<ref>Historical Atlas of Central Europe. Written by Paul Robert Magocsi</ref>

At the end of the century, many faithful emigrated to the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Of the estimated 5 million Greek Catholics living in Central Europe at the start of the 20th century, only about 10,000 were outside the Austro-Hungarian borders. It was estimated that there were 3,134,000 Greek Catholics, mostly Ukrainians (and the rest Poles) in the Metropolis of Lviv, including its suffragan eparchies of Stanislav (or Ivano-Frankivsk) and Przemyśl, while the Metropolis of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia with its suffragans of Lugoj, Oradea, and Gherla had 1,267,000 Greek Catholics, mostly Romanians (and the rest Hungarians). In Hungary, the eparchies of Mukachevo and Prešov, suffragans of the Archdiocese of Esztergom, had 562,000 faithful, mostly Ruthenians (and the rest Slovaks and Hungarians), and the eparchy of Križevci, suffragan of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, had 25,000 faithful, both Croats and Ruthenians.<ref>Historical Atlas of Central Europe. Written by Paul Robert Magocsi</ref>