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List of Leaders of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church


This is a list of Leaders of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (formerly Ruthenia Catholic Church or Uniate Church).

Note, due to historical circumstances (i.e. Russian occupation) first hierarchs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church carried titles without mentioning of Kiev. Although sometimes being referred to as primates out of all hierarchs only Mykhailo Levitsky officially carried the title of primate which was granted by the Austrian Emperor as the Primate of Galicia and Lodomeria, but not approved by the Pope of Rome.

Following the Union of Brest, in 16th century the Eastern Orthodox Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and all Ruthenia located in the Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth broke relations with the Patriarch of Constantinople and place themselves in communion with the Patriarch of the West, thus establishing what later was known as "Ruthenian Uniate Church" or "Ruthenian Catholic Church". Certain dioceses in the Carpathian region including Galicia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia stayed loyal to the Patriarch of Constantinople for another 100 years. In 17th century dioceses in Galicia eventually joined the Union of Brest, while the Orthodox diocese in Subcarpathian Ruthenia came under communion with the Pope of Rome through the Union of Uzhhorod and was temporarily placed under the Latin bishop of Eger.

Following the partitions of Poland, the Russian Empire occupied most of the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Carpathian region with Galicia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia was passed to the Habsburg Monarchy. The Russian Emperor refused to have primates of the Uniate Church to be approved by the Pope. The Uniate Church under Habsburg Monarchy (later the Austrian Empire) was forced to reorganize. After losing its main archdiocese in Kiev, the Uniate Church had its historical metropolis of Galicia (Halych) reinstated, centered in the archdiocese of Lemberg (Lviv). At the same time, the diocese (eparchy) of Munkacs (Mukachevo) was ceded from the jurisdiction of the Latin bishop of Eger, but instead of rejoining the Uniate Church it was given a self-rule on demand of the Rákóczi family.


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