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This
international Order of the Eastern Catholic Church
is the oldest monastic order in the world, tracing
its roots to the 4th century and St. Basil the Great,
for whom it is named. St. Basil, the Archbishop
of Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Manor, is known
as the Father of Eastern Monasticism. His sister
St. Macrina was entrusted with the administation
and direction of a first women monastery.
The
first monastery was built on the banks of the Iris
River, Asia Manor, that attracted pious women from
nearby estates. Many of them came from wealthy families,
but neither their station in life, nor their wealth,
nor their secular importance mattered behind the
cloister walls. Each lived simply and modestly in
a sparsely furnished cell. Each ate and drank what
was provided by the monastic kitchen at designated
times. Each dressed modestly in garments provided
by the monastic directress. And each was resolved
to live a life dedicated to prayer. They were inspired
both by the example of St. Macrina and by the words
of St. Basil the Great. |
The
precepts of St. Basil were the Gospel as Rule of Life,
Community Living, and Service to the Local Church and
needy. After his death, his way of monastic life spread
throughout Greece and into the Slav countries of central
and eastern Europe.
With
the coming of Christianity to Kyivan Russ (now Ukraine)
the women’s monasteries were also established,
in which the nuns lived according to the Rule of St.
Basil. Mentioned is the first monastery of St. Irene
in the year 1037 that Prince Jaroslav the Wise had built
in Kiev. The monastery was the prototype for other cloisters,
which were soon established throughout the entire and
neighbouring countries.
In
1617 a reform of the men’s monasteries began by
Metropolitan Joseph Rutsky that had an effect also on
the way of life of some women’s monasteries. They
were not centalized as men’s monasteries, but
remained independent of one another under the authority
of an Ihumenya and the supervision of the local hierarch.
In
the 17th century, following the Union of Brest-Litovsk
in 1695, began a renaissance in monasticism. It was
the reformers of this time who urged a more active and
service-oriented role for the sisters who had been living
a predominantly contemplative life in strictly cloistered
communities. The sisters returned to their mission of
teaching. They established schools, which served not
only members of their religious communities, but the
laity as well. In 1720, the Synod of Zamose re-imposed
on monasteries a strict cloister existence. Small religious
communities were consolidated; the number of women devoting
themselves to religious life dwindled.
In
1772, in the Eparchies united with Rome in present Ukraine
and Byelorussia, there were still 25 women’s monasteries
with 200 members. During the Division of Poland (1772-95),
the sisters under Russia, ruled by Catherine II (+1795)
lost most of their monasteries. The rest were forcibly
closed by Nicholas I (1825-55). The sisters who resisted
were sent to the monastery prison in Myadzol Stary in
Byelorussia or were dismissed.
As
a result of the reform by Emperor Joseph II (+1790),
in Halichyna (western Ukraine), then in Austrian territory,
many monasteries were closed. However, four monastic
centers survived and even flourished until the final
years of World War II: Yavoriv, Slovita, Lviv and Stanislaviv.
The sisters in these monasteries continued their spiritual
tradition and their work in educating children and young
people.
In
1897, the Metropolitan Sylvester Sembratovych appointed
the Basilian Fathers to carry out a reform (1887-1902).
In compliance, in 1909, under the guidance of Metropolitan
Andrew Sheptycky, the Basilian Sisters held a Chapter
at which the Rule as arranged by Metropolitan Rutskyj
was accepted. From then on, new monasteries of Basilian
Sisters, as well as their educational institutions,
began to develop not only in Halychyna, but also in
other countries of the world.
The
first Basilian Sisters came to the United States in
1911 from Yavoriv Monastery. Sisters came on the request
of Soter Ortynsky, Bishop for all Catholics of the Byzantine
Rite in America. They established the first monastery
in Philadelphia. After the division of the Administration
of the Byzantine Catholics Church in America into two
jurisdictions in 1918 – one for Ukrainians and
another for Ruthenians, the monastery was founded in
Cleveland, Ohio (now with the center in Uniontown, Pensylvania).
The
Slovita Monastery sent sisters to Yugoslavia in 1915
where the first monastery was established in Krizevci
(now Croatia). In 1921, the Stanislaviv Monastery founded
a home, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in Uzhorod
(Ukraine) and with this foundation also in Presov (Slovakia)
in 1922. Later, in 1935, Sisters from Uzhorod founded
a monastery in Mariapocs, (Hungary). Sisters from the
monastery in Pidmykhajlivtsi went to Apostoles, Argentina
in 1939.
Both
World Wars revealed forcesfully the need to unite all
the monasteries of the Order under one central government,
in order to encourage and strengthened their growth
and also their very existence. In 1951, the Holy See,
with the Decree ‘Ad Septennium’, proclamed
the centralization of the Sisters of the Order of St.
Basil the Great, bestowing on it papal status and naming
the first General Curia:
General Superior: M. Eusebia Bilas;
General Councillors: M. Augustine Krynicky, M. Sofronia
Erdelyi,
M. Leonida Kichinko, M. Anna Badovinec.
General Curia appointed S. Salome Berdar for General
Secretary and M. Augustine Krynicky as General Econome.
Today
the Order has 630 sisters who live in the Ukraine –
Most Holy Trinity Province in Lviv and Saint Elias the
Prophet Contemplative Monastery in Brjuchovyci; in Hungary
– Dormition of the Mother of God Delegature; in
Slovakia – Sorrowful Mother of God Province in
Presov and Saints Cyril and Methodius Vice-Province
in Secovce (1994); in Poland – Holy Cross Province
(1958); Croatia – St. Basil and Macrina Vice-Province
in Krizevci and St. Michael the Archangel Province in
Osijek; in Italy at the Generalate in Rome (1954) and
Contemplative Monastery in Albano; in the United States
of America - Jesus Lover of Humanity Province in Fox
Chase Manor, PA and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province
in Uniontown; PA and Sacred Heart Contemplative Monastery
in Middletown; in Argentina - Christ the King Province;
in Australia - Holy Family Delegature (1967); in Brazil
- St. Macrina Delegature (1972) and in Romania - Immaculate
Heart of Mary Province.
The
Rule of St. Basil places great stress on perfect love
of God and on active love of neighbour. The education
of youth was one of the services recommended by St.
Basil. Therefore, in addition to teaching in schools,
Basilian Sisters work in charitable institutions, hospitals,
are engaged in parochial work, catechetics, religious
organizations, publications and liturgical sewing. They
are at the service of Universal Church especially of
the Eastern Rite and their local church.
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