Volodymyr-Volynskyi eparchy

Volodymyr-Volynskyi eparchy. One of the oldest eparchies of the Ukrainian church and by tradition second in importance only to Kyiv eparchy. The first mention of an eparchy with its see in Volodymyr (in Volhynia) and comprising much of the territory of Volodymyr principality dates from 992. The first known bishop was Stefan of Kyiv. At various times the eparchy included much of the territory of Right-Bank Ukraine and Belarus. In 1596 the bishop of Volodymyr (in Volhynia), Ipatii Potii, joined the Uniate church. Although Orthodox forces continued to struggle for control of the eparchy and even had Y. Kurtsevych consecrated as Orthodox bishop of Volodymyr in 1620, the eparchy remained Uniate until the end of the 18th century. Prominent Uniate bishops in that period included Lev Zalensky (1679–1708), Lev Kyshka (1711–28), and Fylyp Volodkovych (1758–78). With the partitions of Poland the territory of the eparchy came under Russian rule. The Uniate church was soon destroyed there, and the new Orthodox Volhynia eparchy, comprising the territory of Volhynia gubernia, was established, with its see in Zhytomyr.

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