In the early 1920s, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Andrey Sheptytsky made a trip to the United States of America, which combined pastoral and political tasks. The visit took place in the conditions of the post-war redivision of Europe, when the issue of the state status of Ukrainian lands remained unresolved.
This was reported by the archivist of the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago.
Before leaving, the Metropolitan held consultations with representatives of the Ukrainian political environment. During his stay in Vienna, he met with the President of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, Yevhen Petrushevych, and the Head of the Government of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, Kostya Levytsky. The purpose of the consultations was to agree on positions on the international representation of the Ukrainian question.
In November 1921, the Metropolitan arrived in New York. During his stay in the USA, he lived at a Ukrainian parish and avoided official celebrations, emphasizing the private nature of the trip. At the same time, the program of the visit included meetings with representatives of the American administration.
One of these was an audience at the White House with US President Warren Harding. The meeting took place within the framework of a traditional public reception of citizens. During a short conversation, the Metropolitan raised the issue of the situation in Galicia after the collapse of Austria-Hungary and the transition of the region under Polish control. The President limited himself to general assessments of the situation.
A longer conversation was with US Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, who at the same time headed the American Relief Administration. The issues of distributing humanitarian aid in Eastern Galicia, as well as the political status of Ukrainian territories, were discussed. The Metropolitan drew attention to the situation of the Ukrainian population under Polish rule and emphasized the need for a fair solution to the Ukrainian question at the international level.
During the conversation, the parties also touched upon the prospects for Ukrainian statehood after the events of the liberation struggle of 1917-1921. The American side expressed concern about security risks in the region, in particular the spread of Bolshevik influence. The Metropolitan, for his part, argued for the right of Ukrainians to self-determination and the creation of their own state.
In addition to political meetings, Andrey Sheptytsky's stay in the USA was of great importance for the Ukrainian community. He visited parishes, met with clergy and laity, supported the organizational development of church life and the consolidation of Ukrainians overseas.
Photo: Tvoe Misto
Author: Danylo Pievchev