Aspects of life of the reuniting archbishop, Metropolitan Józef (Siemaszko)

Abstract

This article covers little-known aspects of personality and activity of Metropolitan Józef (Siemaszko) of Lithuania and Vilna, which became an important factor of the successful reunion of Byelarussian and Ukrainian Uniates with Orthodox Christians in 1839 and their further confl ict-free integration into the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Józef was a unique person, who devoted his whole life to the revival of Orthodoxy in the Western Russian lands. In his everyday life, Metropolitan Józef was very simple and shunned the common entertainment of high society of that era. The money which he had, he spent on charity and help to his subordinates, which earned him their well-deserved respect. Metropolitan Józef’s distinctive features as a church leader were scrupulousness in matters, fairness to everyone around him, including those who hindered his activities because of their convictions, as well as insistence combined with sincere care for his subordinates. Metropolitan Józef’s authority was based on the fact that all those around him saw his unfeigned faith in God, which implied an unswerving adherence to the Truth, and which was accompanied by his high morality and personal modesty. Metropolitan Józef had no prejudice against Catholic clergy and Catholic high society in the Byelarussian–Lithuanian and Ukrainian lands. His patient and unspiteful attitude toward those who hated him was the evidence of his religious and moral strength. It convinced his subordinate priests of the spiritual justice of the renunciation of Unia, and encouraged them to follow their archpastor. Of particular importance to the success of the work of the Most Reverend Józef were his approaches to church administration and interactions with the authorities. He set a personal example and encouraged his subordinates’ successes, inspiring them. At the same time, Metropolitan Józef’s independent and fi rm attitude towards the authorities gave the reunited priests confi dence, that they could always fi nd justice and support, and that the attacks, slander and provocations, which they constantly experiences in the 1840–1850s, would be to no avail. This was largely the reason for their zealous fulfi llment of their duties as Orthodox clergy.