Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak)

Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) (1938-____)

Michał may be spelt Michael, Mikhail, Mikhaylo, Mihailo.

Sawa may be spelt Sabbas, Sava.

Władyka may be spelt Vladyka, Vladika.

Early life of Michał Hrycuniak

On 15 April, 1938, Michał Hrycuniak was born in Śniatycze (near Zamosc) in southeastern Poland. Zamosc is now a part of the Lublin Voivodeship. His parents were Włodzimierz and Natalia (born Winnik) Hrycuniak.

The parents were originally Orthodox Christians ; but in 1939 (at a time when there was heavy pressure on the Orthodox by the Roman Catholics), they and their child entered the Roman Catholic Church of Poland, in the parish in Dubie. However, most of the conversions that were achieved in this manner seem to have been only "on paper", and not actual. The events of the life of Michał testify to the fact that he and his family truly did remain within the Orthodox Church of Poland.

When Michał was 2 years of age (1940), his father reposed in Christ, and Michał was raised by his mother and his grandmother.

During World War II, the Orthodox Temple of Saint John the Baptist (which had been closed during the interwar period) was re-opened, and Natalia Hrycuniak and her son began to attend there.

Saint John the Baptist Temple Śniatycze (being renovated)

Together with his mother, he avoided the deportation to which the Ukrainian population was subject during 1944-1946, perhaps due to his uncle's having joined the army. He attended elementary school in his native Śniatycze, and afterwards in Komarow-Osada. Later, he moved with his mother to Chorzów.

In that village, he studied in high school for 2 years, after which he felt called by the Lord, and he decided to study towards the possibility of becoming an Orthodox priest.

Higher education

After having completed his primary and secondary education, he then completed studies in a local theological seminary.

In 1957, he enrolled in a programme of courses at the Christian Theological Academy (ChAT) in Warsaw, which led to a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies.

He graduated in 1961 with the degree Master of Theology (MTh). He devoted his master's thesis to the topic of "The Third Missionary Journey of Saint Paul".

Christian Theological Academy, Warsaw, in 2018

During his time as a student, Michał served as a subdeacon for Metropolitan Makary (Oksijuk) of Warsaw and all Poland.

After this, he was invited for further studies at the Moscow Theological Academy, but he could not leave the country, since he did not receive a passport.

Michał Hrycuniak began lecturing at the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Warsaw in 1961.

Warsaw Theological Seminary

In 1962, Michał began to lecture at the Christian Theological Academy (ChAT), which he continued to do ever since.

Diaconal ordination, 1964

On 27 September, 1964, Michał Hrycuniak was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Jerzy (Korenistow) of Łódź and Poznań, in the private chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel in the residence of the Metropolitans of Warsaw and Poland.

Diaconal service

In May, 1965, Deacon Michał Hrycuniak was sent to Belgrade, in the Serbian part of Yugoslavia, for doctoral studies in the field of Orthodox theology at the University of Belgrade.

On 2 February, 1966, Deacon Michał Hrycuniak received the Ph.D. degree in Theology from the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

He had successfully defended his doctoral dissertation devoted to the life and activities of Saint John the Baptist.

Deacon Michał remained in Yugoslavia, where he got better acquainted with the tradition of the Serbian Orthodox Church. This included knowing the work of the theologian Archimandrite Justin (Popović) (now glorified as a saint). This visit finally confirmed in Deacon Michał the intention to request monastic tonsure, a consideration which had first arisen in 1957, during the pilgrimage to the Pochayiv Lavra in Ukraine.

Saint Justin (Popović)

Monastic tonsure, 1966

On 6 February, 1966, in the Monastery of the Entrance of the Mother of God to the Temple in Senjak, Belgrade (Beograd), Deacon Michał Hrycuniak was tonsured to be a stavrophor monk, and he was given the name Sawa (for Saint Sava of Serbia).

Catholicon of the Entrance of the Theotokos Monastery, Belgrade

Hierodeacon Sawa (Hrycuniak) then returned to his homeland in Poland.

Presbyteral ordination, 1966

On 6 March, 1966, in the Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene in Warsaw, Hierodeacon Sawa (Hrycuniak) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Stefan (Rudyk).

Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral, Warsaw

Presbyteral service with further education

In 1966, Hieromonk Sawa (Hrycuniak) was assigned to serve as the director (chancellor) of the office of the Metropolitan of Warsaw.

At the same time, he continued his research and teaching work at the Christian Theological Academy (ChAT), and he took a significant part in the renovation of the Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene in Warsaw. He repeatedly travelled to the "Podkarpacie Voivodeship" (Subcarpathian region) to support local parishes that were deprived of permanent clergy.

Subsequent to this labour, on 11 May, 1969, Hieromonk Sawa (Hrycuniak) was elevated to the dignity of igumen.

Igumen Sawa resigned from his work at the metropolitan chancellery on his own initiative. This action was motivated by what was perceived as the envy of other clergymen, and by a conflict with the Archpriest Jerzy Klinger.

He became the Vice-Chancellor of the ChAT in 1967. The ChAT refused to recognise the doctorate which Hieromonk Sawa had received in Belgrade.

In the mid-1960s, Hieromonk Sawa had been nominated to be ordained a bishop, but ultimately the ordination did not take place.

In 1970, Hieromonk Sawa (Hrycuniak) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Monastery of Saint Onufry in Jabłeczna

Archimandrite Sawa (Hrycuniak) was then immediately assigned to serve as the prior (superior, but not abbot) of the Saint Onufry Monastery in Jabłeczna.

Saint Onufry Monastery, Jabłeczna

At the Monastery of Saint Onufry, Archimandrite Sawa supervised the renovation of items and buildings that had been destroyed during World War II. This work included the expansion of the complex of monastery buildings. Part of the expansion provided for a seminary. Another part accommodated the re-organisation of the farm operated by the monks.

In 1974, after the completion of this work, he was assigned in addition to serve as the rector of the seminary at the monastery. The higher classes of the seminary had been transferred to the monastery from Warsaw.

From the academic year 1977-1978, he remained a lecturer of the Section of Orthodox Theology of the Christian Theological Academy (ChAT).

In 1978 Archimandrite Sawa obtained a postdoctoral degree in the field of theology (speciality : dogmatic theology). This work was devoted to the "Orthodox Understanding of Marriage" in Orthodox theology.

He was then made a Docent, and he was appointed to the Chair of Dogmatic and Moral Theology at the Christian Theological Academy.

In 1979, Archimandrite Sawa stopped lecturing at the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Warsaw.

On 20 November, 1979, Archimandrite Sawa (Hrycuniak) was again nominated to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1979

On 25 November, 1979, in the Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene in Warsaw, Archimandrite Sawa (Hrycuniak) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by bishops of the Church of Poland.

Episcopal service

Bishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of the Diocese of Łódź and Poznań.

At the same time, Bishop Sawa was assigned to serve as the head of the Section of Orthodox Theology at the Christian Theological Academy, and as a part of the leadership of the Department of Dogmatic and Moral Theology.

As the Bishop of Łódź and Poznań, he initiated the renovation of the Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky in Łódź.

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Łódź

His activity at the cathedral was positively assessed by the Łódź branch of the Office for Religious Affairs and its branches operating in cities where parishes of the diocese functioned. According to the reports of these institutions, the bishop's activities and personal changes introduced by him revived religious life in the diocese.

Vladyka Sawa attempted to erect Temples in the Orthodox parishes in Zakopane and Gliwice, but this project was blocked by local authorities.

Such difficulties were encountered by Bishop Sawa and other bishops in Poland at that time, in the context of the anti-religious activities of the communist government of that period. These activities were primarily directed against the Roman Catholic Church in Poland, but they also affected the Orthodox Church. Thus, any positive assessment of a bishop by these authorities was remarkable.

Diocese of Białystok and Gdańsk, 1981

In 1981, Bishop Sawa was transferred, and he was assigned to serve as the Bishop of the Diocese of Białystok and Gdańsk.

In this new responsibility, he took action to revive parish life throughout the diocese. He created 13 new pastoral centres (of which 11 were in Białystok). He was also active in raising new Temples and in expanding existing ones. He was amongst other initiators of the construction of the largest Orthodox Temple in Poland, the Temple of the Holy Spirit in Białystok, of the Hagia Sophia Temple in Białystok and of the episcopal chancellory building at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Białystok

In 1982, Bishop Sawa blessed the land which had been acquired at last for the purpose of building a new cathedral, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, for the Orthodox Faithful in Białystok. The acquisition attempts had begun in 1970, but civil authorities had continually blocked the project. After the foundations had been prepared, on 1 August, 1982, Metropolitan Sawa blessed the cornerstone of the structure. Construction proceeded slowly thereafter.

In 1987, Bishop Sawa was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) initiated regular church music concerts in the city of Białystok. Some of them were used to raise funds for the diocesan charitable activity.

Visit of Patriarch Demetrius I (Papadopoulos), 1987

On 20 November, 1987, during the visit of Patriarch Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople, the patriarch and Archbishop Sawa laid the cornerstone of the foundations that had been prepared for the new Temple of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) in Białystok.

On 17 September, 1988, Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) solemnly blessed the cornerstone and foundations of the new Temple.

Hagia Sophia Temple, Białystok

Change of government, 1989

In 1989, the communist government fell, and the Solidarity movement, led by Lech Wałęsa replaced it. Mr. Wałęsa became the next president in late 1990.

In 1990, Wojciech Jaruzelski (who was still the president of the Republic of Poland), nominated Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) to be a professor of theology. From March, 1990, he held the Orthodox Theology Chair at the University of Białystok.

In the wake of the change of government (as happened with some other bishops), certain accusations were levelled in Polish-language articles against Władyka Sawa, regarding his activities within the Polish Security Services during the communist period. He admitted that he had erred to some extent, and he made an apology.

During the years 1984-1990 Archbishop Sawa served as the prorector of the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw.

In 1990, Władyka Sawa was awarded the title of Associate Professor of Theological Science for all his academic work. After 2 years, he was given the title of full professor.

Reactivation of the Supraśl Monastery of the Annunciation ; development of other monasteries

Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) significantly contributed to the reactivation of monastic life in the male Monastery of the Annunciation in Supraśl, the gradual recovery by the Church of Poland of its additional buildings, and the beginning of their renovation.

Annunciation Monastery, Supraśl

In 1992, a year after the first monastery buildings in Supraśl were restored, he prepared for the renewal of the female Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Białystok-Dojlidy (currently operating in Zwierki). In this monastery were found Holy Relics of Saint John which had been brought to Poland, and also Holy Relics of Saint Gabriel Zabłudowski. The revival of Saint Gabriel's veneration also came about thanks to the efforts of the archbishop. This veneration had almost completely disappeared in the years after World War II because of anti-religious policies of the government and because of the loss of the relics.

Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery, Zwierki

By the decree of Archbishop Sawa of 25 January, 1993, the monastery was opened officially.

In 1994, Archbishop Sawa established another female monastery, the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in Wojnowo, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

In 1996, he blessed the establishment of the Diocesan Mercy Centre "Eleos".

On behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Poland, he served as the spiritual guardian of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Youth.

He initiated the creation of the Centre of Orthodox Culture in Białystok.

Formation of the military chaplaincy, 1994-1998

In 1994, after the re-activation of the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army, under the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops, Bishop Sawa was nominated by the Minister of National Defence to be the Elder of the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army (military chaplaincy), with the title of "Field Bishop".

Chaplaincy Temple of Saint George the Victorious, Warsaw

As the Orthodox Ordinary of the Polish Army, he began publishing the "Polish Orthodox Soldier" quarterly, and he initiated the establishment of Orthodox parishes in all the military districts. Thanks to his efforts, Orthodox chaplains also began operating amongst the border guards, in prisons and in detention centres.

In 1996, Władyka Sawa was promoted, and he was made a brigadier-general of the ordinariate (chaplaincy) by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. After this, some people referred to him as "Władyka General".

In 1997, Archbishop Sawa travelled to the USA in order to gain insights into Orthodox military chaplaincy programmes. He visited The Orthodox Church in America, and other Orthodox Christian Churches while he was in Chicago, Illinois and Saint Louis, Missouri.

In early 1998, Władyka Sawa resigned from his position in the Polish army.

Other work

From 1980 to 1991 Władyka Sawa was a participant in the work of the "Faith and Society" committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

In addition, during the years 1979-1989, Archbishop Sawa was a member of the Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue.

He became an honourary member of the Bible Society, of the Committee of the International Conference on Ethics, and an active member of the Polish Ecumenical Council.

In the years 1990-1991, Archbishop Sawa co-chaired the National Church Teaching Group, whose task was to draft a law on the relationship between the State and the Orthodox Church.

In January, 1998, due to an illness suffered by Metropolian Bazyli (Doroszkiewicz), the Holy Synod assigned Archbishop Sawa to serve as the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan Throne. Metropolitan Bazyli (Doroszkiewicz) fell asleep in the Lord on 11 February, 1998.

On 12 May, 1998, the Holy Synod of Bishops unanimously elected Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) to become the next Primate of the Church of Poland.

On 17 May, 1998, Archbishop Sawa presided over the sanctification of the newly-reconstructed Temple of the Holy Transfiguration at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery at Grabarka.

Holy Transfiguration Catholicon, Holy Mount Grabarka

Metropolitan of Warsaw and all Poland, 1998

The solemn service of enthronement took place on 31 May, 1998, in the Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene in Warsaw. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was served by the bishops of the Church of Poland and others, and the enthronement took place as usual at the time of the singing of the Trisagion Hymn.

Primatial service

From the time of the enthronement, his title became "Archbishop of Warsaw, Metropolitan of all Poland".

On 15 October, 1998, Patriarch Bartholomew I (Archontonis) and Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) together sanctified the completed Temple of Hagia Sophia in Białystok. This Temple was constructed as a small replica of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

In 1999, Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) initiated the creation of the Chair of Orthodox Theology at the University of Białystok, and he became its first director. He held this responsibility until 2012.

Faculty of Theology, University of Białystok

On 19 May, 1999, Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) sanctified the then-completed Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Białystok. He was assisted by Bishop Jacob (Kostiuczuk) of Białystok and Gdańsk ; Bishop Abel (Poplavsky) of Lublin ; Bishop Gregory (Charkiewicz) of Bielsk, and Bishop Artemiy (Kishchenko) of Grodno, Belarus.

Church of the Holy Spirit, Białystok

Throughout his academic work, Vladyka Sawa published over 100 theological texts and articles, as well as a collection of 63 of his sermons, words and homilies in Russian.

As metropolitan, Władyka Sawa (Hrycuniak) developed the charitable activity of the Church by organising 4 social-care homes operated by the "Eleos" centre, transformed into the Orthodox Metropolitan Mercy Centre "Eleos".

He also initiated the annual assemblies of the clergy of the Warsaw-Bielsk Diocese, of the spouses of priests serving in it, of psalmists and conductors of church choirs, and meetings of monks and nuns of the Church of Poland. With his help, several new Temples were created in this area of the diocese, and some of the remaining Temples have undergone repairs.

Metropolitan Sawa contributed to the academic circles in the Holy Trinity Chapel on Podwale Street in Warsaw, in a tenement house, on the site where before World War II there was an Orthodox Temple by the same name.

Holy Trinity Chapel, Podwale Street, Warsaw

He also contributed to the recovery for the Church of Poland of the building at Saints Cyril and Methodius Street in Warsaw, which had been confiscated by the authorities of the Polish People's Republic.

On 6 February, 2000, Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski awarded him with the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland.

Fraternal visit of Metropolitan Sawa to The Orthodox Church in America and the USA, 2000

From 19 to 30 May, 2000, Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) made his first official visit to the USA, at the invitation of Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) :

Official Fraternal Visit to The Orthodox Church in America

Metropolitan Sawa was accompanied by Archbishop Adam (Dubec) of Przemysl and Nowy Sacz, and by Igumen Atanazy (Debowski) of
the Monastery of Saint Onuphrius in Jableczna. On 20 May, he concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy with
Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, New York, and participated in the school’s
commencement ceremonies. Metropolitan Sawa was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity "honoris causa" by the seminary.

On 21 May, Metropolitan Sawa and Metropolitan Theodosius concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy at the
Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C. When they visited the USA Holocaust Museum, Metropolitan Sawa reflected
about the millions of his countrymen who had suffered and died during World War II. Metropolitan Sawa was also honoured at
a reception held at the Polish Embassy in Washington. During a brief visit to Baltimore, Maryland, Metropolitan Sawa visited the
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. He also visited the headquarters of International Orthodox Christian Charities
(the pan-Orthodox humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas) in Baltimore.

On Tuesday, 23 May, Bishop Job (Osacky) of Chicago welcomed Metropolitan Sawa, Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor), Archbishop Adam (Dubec)
and their entourage to Chicago, Illinois, and first to Christ the Saviour Church, where there was a reception at the
Midwest Diocesan Chancery. Numerous religious and civic leaders greeted the hierarchs. On Wednesday, 24 May, the
Feast of Mid-Pentecost, Metropolitans Sawa and Theodosius, Archbishop Adam, Bishop Job, together with 24 priests and deacons
of several jurisdictions, concelebrated the festal Primatial Divine Liturgy at Saint Joseph’s Church in Wheaton, Illinois,
which was conducting an outreach ministry to the Chicago area’s growing number of Orthodox Polish immigrants.
Metropolitan Sawa also presided at the ground-breaking for the parish’s new hall, dedicated in honour of Saint Gabriel of Zabludow.
The delegation also paid a visit to the Polish Consulate in Chicago.

On Thursday and Friday, 25-26 May, Metropolitan Sawa visited numerous religious and civic leaders in New York City,
including Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America at Archdiocesan headquarters in
Manhattan. Metropolitan Sawa was also the guest of the Episcopalian Bishop of New York, Richard F Grein at a dinner
hosted in his honour, and he visited the headquarters of the National Council of Churches in Christ. After a visit to the
United Nations (UN), the entourage was received at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the UN by
Ambassador Janusz Stanczyk. While he was in New York, Metropolitan Sawa celebrated a Service of Thanksgiving and he attended a
dinner hosted by the faithful of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Brooklyn, which conducts an active outreach ministry amongst
Orthodox Polish immigrants.

On Saturday, 27 May, Metropolitans Sawa, Theodosius and their entourage travelled to Saint Tikhon’s Monastery in
South Canaan, Pennsylvania, where Metropolitan Sawa presided at commencement exercises at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary.
On Sunday, 28 May, Metropolitan Sawa concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy with Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) and
Archbishops Adam (Dubec) and Herman (Swaiko) in the Monastery Church of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. Later that afternoon,
Metropolitan Sawa co-served with members of the OCA Holy Synod of Bishops and guest hierarchs from the Patriarchate of Moscow
and from the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at the Vigil Service, during which
the Glorification of Bishop Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn took place. On Monday, 29 May, Metropolitan Sawa participated in
the annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon’s Monastery, which was attended by a record number of pilgrims.

Then, on 30 May, after a farewell luncheon hosted by Metropolitan Theodosius, Metropolitan Sawa and Archbishop Adam departed
for Poland.

On 13 March, 2002, the Synod of Bishops of the Church of Poland, under the leadership of Metropolitan Sawa, announced that the Autonomous Portuguese Orthodox Church, which had been under the jurisdiction of the Church of Poland since the 1990s, had lost its canonical connection with it. From that moment, the Church of Poland retained only some missionary units in Brazil (originally part of the Portuguese Orthodox Church) and a parish in Alghero in Sardinia.

In 2003, Metropolitan Sawa co-ordinated preparations for the canonical glorification of the Chełm and Podlasie Martyrs.

Fraternal visit of Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko) of the USA, 2003

From 4 to 10 September, 2003, Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko) of The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) made an official fraternal visit to the Church of Poland.

Upon arrival, Metropolitan Herman was taken to the Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene, where a Moleben of Thanksgiving
was served, as is customary upon arrival. In his remarks on that occasion, Metropolitan Sawa drew attention
to the fact that there is a historically close relationship between the Church of Poland and North America. In his remarks,
Metropolitan Herman noted that many OCA faithful trace their ancestry to Poland. He pointed out that numerous hierarchs
and clergy, including Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish) and Archbishop Kiprian (Borisevich) served in the Church of Poland
before emigrating to the USA after World War II. He also recalled that before he became the Archbishop of North America,
Saint Tikhon (Belavin) had served in the Church of Poland. There is not a record about whether Metropolitan Herman
did or did not mention at the time that his own family had come from a village in a region south of the present border
of Poland, in a region of Trans-Carpathia which is now a province of Western Ukraine. An omission may have been
due to modesty or humility. On Friday, 5 September, Metropolitans Sawa (Hrycuniak) and Herman (Swaiko)
visited Jozef Cardinal Glemp at his Warsaw residence. They discussed the relationship between Poland's Orthodox Christian
and Roman Catholic communities. The metropolitans were then received by President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland at his
residence near Warsaw’s historic centre. President Kwasniewski listened carefully as Metropolitan Herman traced the history and
current situation of the Orthodox Church in North America. The hierarchs also were received by Mr. Ralph J Lysyshyn, the
Canadian Ambassador to Poland, at the Canadian Embassy. Ambassador Lysyshyn explained various co-operative efforts
aimed at bolstering development of Poland’s private sector. On 6 September, the Feast-day of Saint Maxim Sandowicz,
was celebrated by the hierarchs and the OCA delegation in Holy Trinity Church, Gorlice, in the heart of Poland’s
southeastern Lemko region. This was the 20th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Diocese of Przymysl.

On Sunday morning, 7 September, Metropolitans Sawa and Herman, together with Archbishop Abel (Dubec) of Przymysl and Nowy Sacz,
and Bishops Miron (Chodakowski) of Hajnowka and Grzegorz (Charkiewicz) of Bielsk-Podlaski concelebrated the Divine Liturgy
in Warsaw’s Cathedral of Saint Mary Magdalene. On the same evening, Metropolitans Sawa and Herman visited the
Temple of Saint John of the Ladder in Warsaw’s Wola district. Located at the entrance of the city’s major Orthodox cemetery,
the Temple is surrounded by the graves of Poland’s deceased Orthodox primates and other historic figures. On Monday, 8 September,
the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Lublin,
Metropolitans Sawa and Herman concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy with Archbishop Abel (Poplavsky) of Lublin, and
Archbishop Simeon (Shostatsky) of Volynia in Ukraine. The same evening, the hierarchs and delegation members attended a Moleben
of Thanksgiving at Saint John the Theologian Cathedral in Chełm.

On 9 September, the hierarchs and the delegation visited the 16th century Monastery of Saint Onuphrios in
Jableczna, where they were welcomed by Archimandrite Jerzy (Pankowski) and the monastic brotherhood. After celebrating a
Moleben of Thanksgiving in the monastery’s main church, the entourage visited several forest chapels, and they venerated
the relics of Saint Ignatius (Bazyluk), a World War II era martyr. Then they arrived at the women’s Monastery of Saints Martha and Mary
at Siemiaticze. Located at the summit of the holy mountain Grabarka, the monastery’s main Church of the Transfiguration
is surrounded by thousands of Crosses, some more than 50 years old, which were carried to the monastery and embedded
in the ground by Faithful from across Poland.

On their way to Białystok, they visited the 600-year-old Monastery of the Annunciation in Suprasl, where reconstruction
of the main Temple was recently completed. The Temple was destroyed in the early 20th century. The monastery property
was returned to the Orthodox Church after the fall of communism. In Białystok, the metropolitans visited 2 of the city’s
12 Orthodox Temples. In the Temple of Hagia Sophia, the hierarchs viewed frescoes which had been completed by
iconographers from Greece. At the Holy Spirit Cathedral, they viewed the exceptional frescoes which were then being painted
on the interior walls. Metropolitan Herman then visited the World Council of Churches’ Eastern European office,
an Orthodox radio station, and a humanitarian aid agency in the building adjacent to the Cathedral. Then Metropolitan Herman
was welcomed at the 19th century Saint Nicholas Cathedral in the centre of Białystok. Bishop Jacob of Białystok and Gdańsk,
Poland’s largest diocese, and various religious and political leaders from throughout the region welcomed Metropolitan Herman
at the conclusion of the Moleben of Thanksgiving. Metropolitan Herman and the OCA delegation venerated the relics of the
17th century Child-Martyr Gabriel of Zabludow, whose incorrupt relics are enshrined in the cathedral.

On 10 September, Metropolitans Sawa and Herman concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy on the Feast-day of
Saint Job of Pochaev at the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Bielsk-Podlaski. Bishop Grzegorz (Charkiewicz) of Bielsk-Podlaski
welcomed the hierarchs and hosted them at a banquet following the festal procession. Later the same day, Metropolitan Herman
met with Archbishop Jeremiasz (Anchimiuk) of Wroclaw and representatives of Poland’s faith traditions in Warsaw. The Archbishop
moderated a discussion on interfaith cooperation, especially after the fall of communism. Metropolitan Herman and the
OCA delegation made their departure from Poland on 11 September, 2003.

From 25 June to 15 July, 2008, Metropolitan Sawa was hospitalised as a consequence of respiratory failure, and he was unable to perform his primatial duties during that time. One of the other bishops took care of necessary matters for the interim.

Further pastoral service

Smolensk plane crash, 2010

From 10 April, 2010, Metropolitan Sawa served as the temporary Orthodox Ordinary of the Polish Army, in connection with the sudden and accidental death of Archbishop Miron (Chodakowski). Archbishop Miron had succeeded Metropolitan Sawa as the Orthodox Ordinary of the Polish Army, and he had been travelling with 95 other high-ranking dignitaries of Poland on a flight to Smolensk in Russia for a special prayer-service to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre. Then, on 10 June, the Holy Synod of the Church of Poland assigned Bishop Jerzy (Pańkowski) of Siemiatycze to this responsibility.

Inter-orthodox contacts and visits amongst regular archpastoral work

As the Metropolitan of Poland, Władyka Sawa contributed to the significant expansion of contacts between the Church of Poland and other Autocephalous and Autonomous Orthodox Churches. He repeatedly made official visits to : the Patriarchate of Constantinople (in 1998, in 2000, in 2005) ; the Patriarchate of Alexandria (in 2003) ; the Patriarchate of Jerusalem (in 2003, in 2010) ; the Russian Orthodox Church (in 1998, in 2005, in 2007, in 2009, in 2011) ; the Georgian Orthodox Church (in 2004) ; the Serbian Orthodox Church (in 2001, in 2004) ; the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (in 2001, in 2004) ; the Romanian Orthodox Church (in 2000, in 2004) ; the Cypriot Orthodox Church (in 2009, in 2017) ; the Greek Orthodox Church (twice in 2002, in 2006, in 2012) ; the Orthodox Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia (in 2012) ; the Orthodox Church in America (in 2000, in 2002) ; the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (in 2002) ; the Finnish Orthodox Church (in 2004) ; the Exarchate of Belarus (in 2002) ; the Western European Exarchate of Russian Parishes (in 2004).

Metropolitan Sawa participated 3 times in the meetings of all the heads of the Autocephalous Churches, and in the Holy Pan-Orthodox Assembly in Crete. In 1998, in Bulgaria, he participated in solving the problem of a split in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (creation of the Alternative Synod). In 2000, he attended the Council in Jerusalem on the occasion of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ. In 2005, he took part in the finding of a solution to the conflict between the Patriarch Irenaeus (Skopelitis) of Jerusalem and the Synod of the Church of Jerusalem. In 2013, he took part in the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.

On 20 October, 2012 (when it was at last possible), Metropolitan Sawa sanctified the Catholicon Temple of the Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery at Zwierki, Białystok County, Podlaskie Voivodeship.

In 2016, Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) headed the delegation of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church to the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church in Crete.

On 11 September, 2017, in accordance with the decree of President Andrzej Duda of the Republic of Poland, Metropolitan Sawa joined the Committee of National Commemorations of the Preparation for the Anniversary of Regaining the Independence of the Republic of Poland. This commemoration took place on 11 November, 2018.

Fraternal visit of Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) of the USA, 2018

From 17 to 22 August, 2018, Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) made his first official fraternal visit to Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) and to the Church of Poland.

 Metropolitan Tikhon was accompanied by Archbishop Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco and the West, the Archpriests 
 Daniel Andrejuk and Alexander Rentel, the Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, and the Subdeacon Roman Ostash.  During this 
 visit, Metropolitan Tikhon and his entourage visited numerous parishes, monasteries and other Church sites, especially 
 in the country’s northeastern and south-central regions, where there are many centres of the Orthodox Christian Faith.  
 Metropolitan Tikhon and the delegation participated in the annual pilgrimage to the Monastery of Saints Martha and Mary 
 on the Holy Mountain of Grabarka, which coincides annually with the Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ 
 on 18-19 August (Old Style date).  Metropolitan Tikhon and the entourage concelebrated the Primatial Festal Divine Liturgy 
 together with the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Poland, and with dozens of clergy.  
 
 During the days following the pilgrimage, Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA delegation visited numerous parishes, 
 monasteries and related sites in the Dioceses of Warsaw, Białystok and Lublin, where they were greeted by the local 
 hierarchs and faithful believers.  Just before the conclusion of the visit, in Warsaw, Metropolitans Sawa and  Tikhon, 
 and the members of the delegation were received at Warsaw’s Presidential Palace, where they were welcomed by 
 Minister Pawel Mucha, Deputy Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland.  The Orthodox Church 
 in America and the Orthodox Church of Poland have many personal and official links and associations which are associated 
 with the early days of immigration to North America.

At Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral, Warsaw

At Grabarka Monastery

Response to ecclesiastical divisions in Ukraine, 2018

On 15 November, 2018, Metropolitan Sawa and the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Poland responded negatively to efforts to create a united and canonical Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Clergy were forbidden to participate in liturgical prayer with the clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchate and with the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Both these entities were schismatic, and there were other canonical irregularities involved in their clergy and history. In addition, at the next session of the Polish Holy Synod (2 April, 2019), after the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine by the Patriarchate of Constantinople (and based on the apparently irregular reception of various clergy into the new entity), the bishops declared about the situation that

 Apostates from the Church, while also deprived of priestly ordination, cannot represent a healthy 
 Church organism.  It is a non-canonical action and violates Eucharistic and inter-Orthodox unity.

This statement refers first to the fact that there already existed more than 1 schismatic entity in Ukraine (in contrast to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – in communion with world Orthodoxy – which had always been canonical). It also referred to the 5 January, 2019, act in Istanbul, the creation by the Patriarchate of Constantinople of the "Orthodox Church of Ukraine". When the Church of Constantinople declared this autocephaly, included in it were clergy of both schismatic entities who were irregular and schismatic (according to the usual canonical standards). At this same time, it created a de-facto schism with the canonical Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church which was in communion with the Moscow Patriarchate (and by far the largest Orthodox ecclesiastical entity in Ukraine).

— Bishop of Łódź and Poznań 1979–1981. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by : Archbishop Simon (Romańczuk).

— Bishop of Białystok and Gdańsk 1981–1987. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by : Bishop Jakub (Kostiuczuk).

— Archbishop of Białystok and Gdańsk 1987-1998.

— Elder of the Orthodox Ordinariate (Field Bishop) of the Polish Army 1994-1998. Title created. Succeeded by : Bishop Miron (Chodakowski).

— Archbishop of Warsaw, Metropolitan of All Poland 1998-____. Preceded by : Metropolitan Bazyli (Doroszkiewicz). Succeeded by : ____.

Reflections

Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak), Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland, led the Church of Poland beginning in 1998. The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Poland is the second largest “organised religion” in Poland. He is the eighth hierarch to head the Polish Church after it was given autocephaly by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1924. As Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland, his see is in Warsaw at the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

The Polish Orthodox Church has provided many clergy to the several jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church in Canada, and many immigrants to Canada have come from present and past Polish territories. The Polish Orthodox Church also provided refuge to many lay-persons, clergy and bishops during World War II, when people were fleeing westwards as the borders moved. Many of these persons settled in Canada.

Awards :

The list of awards is partly based on data from the Białystok-Gdańsk diocese.

Church

• Order of Saint Mary Magdalene with Ornaments (Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church)

• Order of the Cross of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood (Jerusalem Patriarchate)

• Order of Saint Sergius of Radonezh 1st degree (Russian Orthodox Church)

• Order of Saint Daniel of Moscow, 1st degree (Russian Orthodox Church)

• Order of Prince Włodzimierz, Equal-to-the-Apostles

• Order and Cross of Saint Innocent (The Orthodox Church in America)

• ESCO star (International Brotherhood of Templars Charity)

• Order of the Holy Cross of Eufrozyna Połocka (Exarchate of Belarus)

Civilian

• Commander's Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland 2000)

• Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta

• Golden Cross of Merit

• Order of the Palestinian Autonomy

• Order of Prince Jaroslaw the Wise

• Order of Prince Jaroslaw the Wise, 1st Degree

• Medal for Merit of the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw (2014)

Honourary degrees

• Doctor "Honoris Causa" of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York, USA (2000)

• Honourary Doctor of the University of Białystok (2001)

• Honourary Doctor of the University of Thessaloniki (2002)

• Honourary Doctor of the Minsk Academy of Spiritual Studies (2002)

• Honourary Doctor of the Moscow Theological Academy.

• On 21 January, 2007, Metropolitan Sawa received from the hands of Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger) of Moscow, the award "For outstanding activity to strengthen the unity of the Orthodox nations".

Writings

Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) is the author of more than 100 theological publications, including 17 articles published in the pages of the Polish journal "Theological Yearbook".

Part of the metropolitan's articles were published in 2003 in the collection of "Christ - the most Faithful Friend of Man".

In 1994, Archbishop Sawa (Hrycuniak) published his book entitled "Orthodox Understanding of Marriage".

Throughout his academic work, Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) published more than 100 theological texts and articles, as well as a collection of 63 of his sermons, speeches and addresses in Russian.

Some other writings by Metropolitan Sawa (Hyrcuniak) (in Polish) are to be found here.

References

Orthodoxwiki biography

Wikipedia article about Metropolitan Sawa

Polish Wikipedia biography

Orthodox Research Institute biography

Biography by the Christian Theological Academy

University of Białystok biography

Additional information :

Borowik, Irena, ed. “Religions, Churches and the Academic Studies of Religion : Poland and Ukraine” (Krakow, Poland : Nomos, 2003) p. 39. © Zaklad Wydawniczy 2003. ISBN : 978-83-88508-41-7.

Europa Publishers, ed., “Europa World Year Book 2003”, vol. 2 (London : Routledge, 2003). ISBN-13 : 978-1857431971.

Mironowicz, A, “The Orthodox Church in Poland in the 19th and 20th Centuries” (Białystok : Publishing House of the University of Białystok, 2001). ISBN : 83-7431-046-4.

Robertson, Ronald, ‘The Orthodox Church in Poland’ in “The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey” (2008)

Wynot Jr., Edward D, “The Polish Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century and Beyond : Prisoner of History” (Lanham, MD : Lexington Books, 2014). ISBN 10 : 073919884X ; ISBN 13 : 978-0739198841).

Wyrwoll, Nikolaus ed., “Orthodoxia 2014-2015" (Regensburg : Ostkirchliches Institut, 2015). ISBN : 978-7245-1959-1.

OCA article "Metropolitan Sawa of Poland concludes US Visit" (2000)

Youtube interview with Metropolitan Sawa (2003) (in Polish)

“Metropolitan Herman concludes official visit to Orthodox Church of Poland” (2003)

OCA appeal on behalf of Metropolitan Sawa (2005)

Interview with Metropolitan Sawa (Hrycuniak) (17 August, 2018)

Basilica.ro article about Metropolitan Sawa's 81st birthday (15.04.2019)

Orthodoxwiki article about the Orthodox Church in Poland

Orthodoxwiki article about the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Białystok

Orthodoxwiki article about the Hagia Sophia Temple in Białystok