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The Roman Catholic Deanery of Sumy is a part of Kharkiv-Zaporizhian Diocese of the Roman-Catholic Church in Ukraine. It includes four North-East Ukrainian towns Sumy, Romny, Konotop and Shostka.
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The center of the Deanery takes its place on picturesque high right bank of Psel River (Dnieper's left tributary) in one of old districts in heart of ancient Ukrainian capital Sumy. In Middle Ages this town had been joined to the possessions of Sophron's Wilderness monastery (near Putivl). To the word that unique cave-priory, founded by first Grecian missionaries, come to Kiev Rus from Byzantine, had been razed almost to the ground in 1960s by communists. In Sumy is situated the Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation parish, known as the main deanery's temple.
To the number of other significant regional Roman Catholic places belong the Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary in Romny, the Our Lady of Fatima parish in Konotop and St. Joseph parish in Shostka
Sumy
The history of comparatively new Roman Catholic parish in town Sumy is dramatic. Ordeals had fallen to its lot while Ukraine's stay in the body of Soviet Union. At the end of the 19th century Sumian Roman Catholics had decided to build their own temple and received permission in 1900 with the aid of famous Sumian Maecenas Paul Kharitonenko (1853–1914), at whose sugar-refineries, the largest in Europe and Russia worked many specialists from Europe, chiefly Roman Catholics from Poland and the Czech Republic. The Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation Church, performed in Gothic style, had been founded in 1901. "Unfortunately all attempts to find information about the building process as well as its interior have been unsuccessful" yet. Consecrated in 1911, by Jan Tsepliak, bishop of Mogilev, the Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation Church had been closed down by the authorities in two decades, and was used for improper purpose. It's enough to say, that after the World War II during 50 years there were situated first a museum, then a gym. Only after the disintegration of USSR the temple had been retrieved to regenerate Roman Catholic parish and in spring 1998 had been solemnly reconsecrated.
The first masses (1911–1915) at the temple were led by parish priest Fr. Theodor Ryllo. He also gave lessons in religion in Alexander High School, 1st and 2nd High Schools, technical educational institution and Military College in Sumy and in High School in Lebedin.
His successor (1916–1919) on the post had become chaplain Fr. A. Krzhivitsky, whose assistants during festivities were Fr. Florian Garaburda and Fr. Jozef Varpekhovsky.
The last registration thereat had been on 1919 November 20. Archive documents witness that 1926, February 21 believers had met to create parish council and commission for inspections. The last Mass, before the temple had been closed down, had been held in 1932 by Fr. Vagonis. Some Masses conducted during the World War II.
Reformation, proclaimed by Mikhail Gorbachev, had enabled believers to begin struggle for reviving in the town Roman Catholic parish. And soon, after Ukraine had found independence, at the end of 1991 parish had begun its activity.
At the beginning parishioners gathered on services, once in two weeks (1991-August 1992) conducted by parish priest of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumption Church in Kharkiv Fr. George Zyminsky, directly on the temple's stairs. Already after returning the temple to the parish, ill-wishers, it happened, turned out the light while service.
The first priest (September 1992-February 1995) of new parish had been appointed priest from Zhytomirian Diocese Fr. Vitaly Skomarovsky. While his cadence in May 1994 the temple had been retrieved.
Next two parish priests had become Fr. Gennadius Bilinsky (March 1995-September 1997) and Fr. Felix Svintsitsky (September 1997-August 1999). During service of the latter the temple had been reconsecrated by the Zhytomyrian bishop Jan Purvinsky in 1998, March 25.
Fourth parish priest (September 1999-June 2006) had been Fr. Stanislav Tanatarov.
For the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of Christmas, in the temple's courtyard, from its left hand, had been erected the Jesus Sacred Heart Chapel (about 4 metres high). Bronze statue of Blessed Virgin Mary with Infant in Her Arms, bathing in vivid verdure of peaceful and cozy square, from the left side of temple and edifice behind it, where the residence of parish priest and Roman Catholic religious mission are accommodated, attracts every eye. Standing on red brick pedestal with quadrilateral base of black stone, surrounded by flowers, grass and trees, thoroughly polished figure always reminds all of the Sacramental.
From 2002 the canteen at the temple functions by efforts of members of the Secular Franciscan Order, filial of which functions at the parish since spring of 1999.
His successors had become parish priest Fr. Arthur Surovsky (since 2006) and present parish priest Fr. Voicheck Stasevich (since August 2008) (both of them you can see on the photo at left).
Now at the temple are successfully developing Sunday School (with the aid of pious nuns), library, theatre, museum, spiritual music band, diverse sections and circles (including spiritual culture circles).
To help those who haven't been lucky in life, the Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation parish had founded a Roman Catholic mission "Caritas Spes Sumy", that acts at the temple as branch of All-Ukrainian Roman Catholic religious mission "Caritas Spes Ukraina".
On February 6, 2008, and April 15, 2008, had been created web-sites of mission and parish under titles "Caritas Spes Sumy" and "Ave Maria" to elucidate their activities in religious spheres. To support this aim parish publicates bulletin, named "Ave!", informing about Church's history and life of the parish.
Unfortunately, on September 29, 2008, web-sites of mission and parish "Caritas Spes Sumy" and "Ave Maria" had been closed by decision of new parish administration.
A little later parish had opened its new web-site To the Glory of Jesus Christ
On January 15, 2009, author of former web-sites of mission and parish "Caritas Spes Sumy" and "Ave Maria" had created site of the Sumian Historical Web-Society under the title "Ave Maria" to elucidate different historical subjects, including the history of religion and church.
Romny
The tragic history of the Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation temple in Sumy in no case was just a regrettable exception, but shows a striking example of widespread disastrous practice of persecuting Roman Catholic Church in Soviet Union. Like a long-suffering Sumian parish, had stood a severe test temple of Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary in Romny.
In a short period after the Russian civil war of 1917-20s, this one, made in Roman architectural style, had been confiscated. Chapel, built from the left side, had been subjected to the total destruction. About its existence nothing reminds, but a strait stripe of wrecked wall, in the past joined chapel with the temple. The latter for decades in the known way also wasn't used for proper purpose (Ministry of Education had turned over it at disposal of polytechnic secondary school, that housed inside received premises workshops).
Restored Roman Catholic parish could be contented with very little, because open-air divine services were conducted across the street in the courtyard, belonged to a married couple, who'd become parishioners, by priest, come from Sumy at the appointed time. Very difficult task to return temple to the lawful owner, The Holy See, Fr. Stanislav Tanatarov, appointed to Sumy in September 1999, didn't ever consider impossible and at once on a special conference, convened in Romny, had proclaimed his aspiration to reconsecrate the temple. He'd succeeded in getting free the first floor in church, then Fr. Stanislav had liberated ground floor, minister's house and other edifices.
Konotop
The Our Lady of Fatima parish, third in Sumian Roman Catholic deanery, had passed through a long way while in 2005 in Konotop had appeared and been consecrated a new Roman Catholic temple, built in modern style.
The place, called by local inhabitants as "seven winds", now is one of town sights owing to Jeff Woolthy, a young member of the Holy Apostles parish from Colorado Springs (which continually renders its Sumian coreligionists help). He'd made the rich donation to the Our Lady of Fatima parish in memory of his prematurely deceased wife. The present parish priest in Konotop is Fr. Zbignev.
Shostka
The center of the fourth parish, chapel, named in honour of St. Joseph, now is situated in the private house in Shostka. The present parish priest there is Fr. Thomas.