THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IN NORTH AMERICA DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD

The article deals with the development of Ukrainian Orthodox movement on North American continent during interwar period. It began mass conversion Greek Catholics to Orthodoxy and led establishing two separate church communities in Canada United States. first UOC-USA parishes were founded 1919, mostly by former from Galicia or Transcarpathia Bukovyna. In 1924 Archbishop Ioan Teodorovych Autocephalous church, formed Kyiv, was dispatched serve as a hierarch for new churches States Canada. grew quickly, 1932 it included 32 25 priests. Large numbers Ukrainians who had formerly belonged Russian Catholic joined newly After UOCC insisted retaining its administrative independence under Rev Semen Sawchuk administrator president consistory. By end 1928 approximately 64,000 followers, organized 152 served 21 priests, faithful refused join Church USA because they questioned canonicity Teodorovych's episcopal consecration. Yosyf Zhuk (a priest Galicia) selected church's bishop 1931 he succeeded Bishop Bohdan Shpylka (consecrated 1937) jurisdiction patriarch Constantinople. Some priests faithful, however, Teodorovych’s ordination America Carpatho-Russian Diocese 1938 when group 37 Ruthenian Eastern parishes, leadership Fr. Orestes Chornock, received into Ecumenical Patriarchate.