Ukrainian Catholic Union

Ukrainian Catholic Union (Український католицький союз; Ukrainskyi katolytskyi soiuz, or УКС; UKS). A socioreligious organization founded in Lviv in 1931 through the initiative of Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky. Its purpose was to ensure religion a proper role in public life and to promote the fully rounded social development of the Ukrainian people in a manner consistent with Christian principles. On political issues the UKS tacitly supported the Ukrainian National Democratic Alliance. It published the weekly Meta, edited by P. Kozytsky and Volodymyr Kuzmovych, Mykola Hnatyshak, and others. The Meta publishing house, the journal Khrystos—nasha syla (edited by M. Hnatyshak), and the literary and public affairs monthly Dzvony (edited by Petro Isaiv) co-operated with the union. The Polish authorities restricted its field of activity to Lviv archeparchy. By the end of 1935 the UKS had 416 organizational committees, 261 circles, and district councils in county centers. The first UKS president was Volodymyr Detsykevych; he was followed in 1932 by Zenon Lukavetsky. The Second World War put an end to the union’s activity.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]