Pastoral visits
Donbass-Bakhmut-Enakevo

On Donbass more than 13 years ago came priests from Christ Congregation. I was their neighbor in the moment of my start in Rostov on Don.

I was never dreaming these days that on the other side of the border I will some day using my experience and even making written memories as experienced man.

Yes, in 1996 I spend one day in Donetsk with fr. Jaroslaw. I even took him to Russia for few days to show him Kalmyk steppes. We sent together nice missionary adventure. I was very impressed by his personality and his knowledge of Ukrainian so useful in Kalmyk villages.

I. Bakhmut-Artemovsk

1. Greek-catholic pastoral visits

Very surprising to me in Russia was presence of Greek-Catholics everywhere. On Sakhalin in Aniva city I had community exclusive Greek-catholic origin people. They were so exotic to me at first, that also local Koreans were asking what it can be.

Their relative fr. Jaroslav Spodar Redemptorist monk from Kemerovo visited them few times before my coming, but I had no opportunity to meet him.

He was well known man in Siberia. He came in deep 1978 in conspiracy as simple miner in Kuzbas, to support local believers. He was praying a Mass in both Latin and Byzantine rite, because Roman-Catholic were also living in these places.

In Chita as I mentioned before I had one parishioner which was interested to be baptized as Greek Catholic, so the priest from Omsk came to baptize him.

These short contacts made some preparation in my heart to most close possible collaboration with Greek-Catholics in Ukraine. Once I spent Christmas with Greek Catholic community in the city Zugress. It was the mass in missionary conditions in local Palace of Culture.

The priest visiting here is coming from Khartsisk and rent the place for such a purpose. We are the closest neighbors. I was obliged to come, because he visited me 24-th December in night prayer. 7-th of January he took seminarians from Ivano-Frankivsk ever spending with him Fests, some people took accordion and I was thinking there will be some spectacle during liturgy. I was mistaken.

Father explained me that they will go after the Mass walking on the streets and singing Carols for all the citizens proclaiming high voice the big Fest.

We have some dozen of Greek-Catholic villages in Donbass. These are ethnic Ukrainians from Poland expelled after so called "Action Wisla". Some Ukrainians were sent from Przemysl to: Warmia, Mazury (in East Prussia), Slask (Silesia) or Pomerania (Pomorze). Many were sent to Magadan, on Kamchatka, but many also on Donbass so we have these people in Khartsisk and Zugress.

Same story happen around Artiomowsk city. The biggest Greek-Catholic village is Zvanivka with two Basilian Monks two churches in the neighbor and sometime 500 people in these churches on big fests. Good number in East Ukraine, Orthodox may not have so much in Big Makeevka or Donetsk.

It is my fresh experience.

2. "Pyramide Christmass Bread"

In Artemovsk I was invited on Pastoral visit by director of Medical School. Her mother was Also greek-catholic. Grand-father was Ukrainian and grand-mother was Polish... it is why in that family both customs of Latin and Greek Church are mix. That family was expelled to Siberian Krasnoyarsk. They have stress from the past in their memory and behaviour until now.

The best example was the Christmas bread. Relatives from Poland were sending her small pieces of that bread every Christmas. People usually eat it just same Christmas time, but she didn't. She collected all of the without knowing what to do...

I saw documentary film about scientist and voyager Jacques Cousteau which after finding old boat in Mediterranean See and there was clay bottle 2000 years old with wine, the bottle broke and he tried this 2000 old wine. He told it was excellent. The same story happened with some grains in Pharaohs sarcophagus. Scientists planted them and they grow in nice plants. I got similar feelings when after giving me that 50 or 30 years old Christmas bread I eat him, because the lady was so afraid to eat and to give in rubbish. She gave it to me.

3. Maria Magdalena

In another house some parishioner called herself a sinner, because she was 3 times married. She became early a widow, so it is none sin to get marry secondly. She was 11 years with second husband. He was drinking much and molesting her. It is why she never wished to be married in Church with that second man. The couple destroyed. Only with the third one she decided to be married sacramental way. It happened soon before her mother's death, so the old Catholic mother got satisfied. It is very typical soviet post story.

Mother of my parishioner perhaps passed in peace knowing that daughter has finally good husband and that they are married in Church. Very possible that old lady was living longer and longer just with one hope, to see her daughter happy.

This silent catholic old lady, by her presence trained my parishioner such a way, that even calling herself a sinner just she became the leader of our new community in our city. Before, she was traveling with old mother 40 km to another city each Sunday to have a Mass.

Saint Paul once said: where is big sin, the grace will be abundant same place.

4. Leader of Smile

Similar way some other parishioner came to us. During pastoral visit she told me about her jealous husband. Once she told him, that she didn't love him. He was in so deep shock that committed suicide.

She started to visit church influenced by her cousin, a nun in some Ukrainian monastery. Her cousin was ever visiting 40 km far away Gorlovka chapel, during visiting aunt in Artemovsk. She tried to attract also her own aunt. It is another example of silent job of believers influencing all the relatives.

By the way, during last years, there is some action under slogan: "let's celebrate Christmas together". This action has a meaning that western Catholics from Lvov and Ivano-Frankivsk, take their homes children from East Ukraine, to teach them Christmas carols even Ukrainian language and other customs which despaired under total Russification in atheist Eastern Ukraine as Donbass.

It is action of Greek-Catholics, but perhaps local Roman-Catholics will be also happy to spent Christmas in Poland or another Catholic country to take back old Christmas customs forgotten here in deep Ukraine.

At first Mrs. Zofia came on our prayers just for kindness to her own aunt, slowly she find pleasure for herself. He got friends and beautiful smile back. I do not blame her for her words, she told to own husband. Both were living out of church, which have power to train people for such situations and avoid thinking about suicides.

5. Poltergheist

In family of Shevchenko the urgent need of church was more deep than in two previous stories. Here also happened suicide. Young husband of Bella seem to return home and never "leave her in peace", calling from the grave. During my pastoral visit, family shows me his photo and the room in which he "APPEARS".

That family has really suffered much, but they have also strong faith to fight with fear. They visit church weekly, so slowly the event disappears. God has very special ways to prepare our souls to be peaceful and obedient.

6. "Pan Slavism"

Another couple which invited me to have Christmas visit was handicapped couple. They got sacrament during such visit. Both have broken necks so cannot walk and have to use invalid vehicles. In the last moment during wedding ceremony Denis decided to keep Orthodox faith, so I see him only occasionally. Lena visit the church alone and she talk to priest during Christmas visit also without his presence.

It was difficult experience to me blessing house and knowing that inside sit in another room unhappy Denis mother and he himself in same condition. I asked their permission to have prayers. Yes, they agree, but they were so sad faces, that better I will go without doing anything. I was just sorry because of that unique catholic girl who came to that family from another city and with another faith.

At first people in Post Soviet Union was curious and happy having contacts with ministers of any religion, but slowly orthodox propaganda made people "sensitive" and suspicious, too much suspicious in my understanding. It was real crazy training. Orthodox leaders do not look for diplomatic ways; they call all the religions except own sects on fear the people to have any contact with such religion as Catholic or Protestant.

Orthodox people is trained by own clergy to be arrogant and unfriendly. I was hearing once criticism against orthodox "pan Slavism". The scientist was talking that in place of communism in Russia politicians proclaim hegemony of orthodox faith and Slavic nations with same strength like before Hitler was proclaiming ideas about "clean race" and " UBERMENSCH". Yes I saw in Russia the people thinking just the same fascist way, that Slavic nation is the best, so you have to hate others.

To be justice, I have to tell you: I am very thankful Lena and Denis also, because they were the first citizens of Bakhmut-Artemovsk which invited me home in Christmas time 2003. That day, thanks to them I got idea to have outstation there and Holly Mass weekly. Two years later parish was registered; old church was returned and partially repaired. It was really curious story. Providential story.

II. Enakevo

I got to know about old church in Enakevo thanks to old Mrs. Anna, former Keep Houser of fr. Olszanski which was last time Bishop in Kamenets-Podolski. I met her during my staying in Lugansk, my first parish experience in Ukraine. Anna left from Grodek Podolski with her husband in 50-ties and until his death was living in Enakevo.

All that time she was keeping faith in her heart, even in all the Donetsk land around there was no single Catholic Church working. Fr. Olszanski was sending her letters and that correspondence helped her to survive as believer. Bishop helped her to move from Enakevo to close city Lugansk to live with priest keeping house like before and having eye on the parish in his absence. Her little wooden house in the garden of Parish was real Kremlin.

She was the first lady having all the news. Her duty was before to look order in sacristy. Now we have sisters in parish so she has more time for herself, preparing to the last trip, same way as her husband and friendly Bishop Olszanski, which died few years ago.

Church in Enakevo was under eye of fr. Jaroslaw Gizycki. He tried to return back as our property, but he was moved to Poland and church was waiting my coming in these places. I deeply wished to try.

1. First trip

When I got parish in Makeevka, it was rather close to Enakevo than Lugansk. In Gorlovka, my second outstation was living friend of Anna from Lugansk. Parish manager in Gorlovka has also name Anna and she "took me to Enakevo" to show the old church. It was beginning of October 2003. Church was looking nicely even hidden in the middle of some ruins and metallurgy fabric pollutions.

I was also introduced to some old lady Jadwiga, which was time to time visiting Gorlovka chapel and was living close to old church building.

2. Christmas gift

It is difficult to believe how easily I got that church back. I was thinking so comparing efforts of so many Catholic communities in Russia. Some priests were waiting for returning of church property years or even decades after first request. Even in Kiev people is waiting return of st. Nicolas Church from 1990 unsuccessfully. Here it happened during 2 months.

I was asking in my request permission to pray Christmas Mass inside the church, but I was not expecting that same Christmas day I will be owner of huge building for 400 sitting places.

Sisters from Lugansk gave us old icon which Mrs. Anna defended in Enakevo from fire some years ago. I started looking for parishioners even Anna was very skeptic telling that she was the only Catholic in the city.

Thanks to Anna from Gorlovka I got phone book and I find about 300 polish and German names in the book. We start calling to all these people. Some of them were agree to have Christmas visit. During these visits I was collecting signatures on parish statutes. Without 10 signatures of adult believers community cannot be registered and returned church will have no owner.

I was visiting around 3 families one day. I decided not hurry and asked ever opportunity to look their photo albums and to hear their lives stories. If somebody was proposing tea I was not protesting even knowing that in this country drinking tea means also eating food.

3. Baptists and Catholics

First visit was obligatory in Jadwiga's house. In passport she has name Zberezanska, her fathers were Jablonski. She was showing me all her old prayer books, some of them 100 years old and all of them in Polish. She was telling me that she cannot understand anything when the Mass is in Russian.

I realize so during the week I made in respect of her one polish celebration. She was sad because her grand-daughter got marry with Baptist man. Alla her daughter got none religious education, but she was also sad because of daughters decision to share Baptist faith.

There is strong convincing in Post Soviet countries that Baptist has to be bad person, but why nobody knows. It is again influence of rumors supported by Pans Slavic propaganda.

Both ladies forgot that about Catholics we have same bad fame around as about Baptists and there is no need to accept rumors. I tried to convince them to be peaceful and tolerant but I knew that one meeting is not enough to solve the problem. I still believe that one day we may be friends, our parish and local Baptist church.

I am very thankful to Jadwiga's grand-daughter for organizing first round of talks with directors of metallurgic Fabric as owners of the building, she does everything most diplomatic way. Also I am thankful to Alla, Jadwiga's daughter for helping me calling to 300 people with "catholic roots".

4. Tea and food

Later I was visiting Teresa, the first from three brothers and sisters with French roots. There fathers were French emigrants native from Lvov. According Soviet policies many emigrants came back to Soviet Union, because they were promised to keep all their property and good future in Soviet homeland. In fact just in Odessa Harbor they loosed all their dreams even property and became simple poor soviet citizens, the way back was closed for ever.

Teresa was small and handicapped like after Heine-Medine sick, she was small but well educated, talkative lady. She bore as the last child so got all her education in Soviet Union, even so she keep pronouncing letter "r" like all French people do.

She offered us tea, butter broad and even self made red wine. I was happy when she offered it for Holly Mass, because in Ukraine you never know if wine is original grape or some other fruit, may be even some artificial chemical extract.

5. Jeanne d Arque

Simmilar story was telling us Teresa's older daughter Jeanine. She spent 18 years in France so she came as full educated French Mademoiselle. She got First Communion, Confirmation and lyceum in France, but in Ukraine was not accepted as candidate in Roman Languages Faculty, because...she cannot talk Ukraine and none Russian langue.

She was forbidden to study so she spent all her life as cook, cooking wonderful cakes even now when she is retired she offered us nicely self made cakes.

Her grand-daughter Nastya, during the entire visit was looking TV with full attention on the screen. All my efforts to talk with her were unsuccessful. She was not unfriendly, just not accustomed talking with priest.

Jeanine get marry with Jewish bureaucrat, but unhappy because he ever had lovers and betrayed her. The only her happiness were prayers and even in absence of Catholic church she spent much time in Orthodox praying the way she only knew. After getting news from Jadwiga about reopening church, she became daily visitor and even only security worker. She became natural leader of community.

6. Brother Ivan

Brother of Teresa and Janine was introduced to me under the name Ivan. He also born in France so perhaps he was baptized Jean, but Russification and fear of this people was also deep. He was living in the poorest conditions possible without any dignity slowly dying from unknown disease. He just loosed power in legs and cannot walk any more. Perhaps he was just hungry. I can imagine also such answer for his sick. That city and that family was like scene from Emile Zola book "Germinal" � proletariat poor and hungry.

7. Cutten legs

Simmilar picture as in Ivan's house I saw in Slovakian worker Vayda. He was working in Metalurgic Fabric and he losed both legs during working there, some 1000kg ppiece of metal falled down on him and later doctor made document that it was his own sin. It is why he did not got any recompensation and was slowly dying in poverty.

There was that day his son which came from Moscow to visit him. Son was smoking in my presence and yelling on father ever when he started to cry remembering his suffers.

That young boy was also wounded in heart much more than in body. Both of them were looking miserable persons. Boy was telling me about his difficulties as illegal worker on Russian new constructed houses. Their boss was paying them sometime but sometime during long time giving none money and when they protest he called police and all Ukrainian workers were given out from Russia.

A week later after that visit Vayda died, but his son did not inform priest, he perhaps had no idea that priest may be interested or useful such a moment.

Vayda was singing nicely Ukrainian carols; he was native Greek-catholic but was trained in Roman-catholic school in Slovakian Carpathian Mountains village. Later his village was taken by Stalin to Soviet Union together with Uzhgorod city, so this way he became soviet citizen.

He was really happy seeing me and singing together. He was also happy to participate the list of 10 persons reestablishing Catholic Church. He was many times inside during soviet times, because church was changed in sportive Club, but he was told by old Enakevo citizens that during taking out the cross from 50 meters high tower one man died. Two or even three local priests were killed in the garden and buried same place. It was his last message to me. I am also happy I met such a man, just the last moment of his life.

8. Guests from Taganrog

Our church in Enakevo was celebrating 100 years anniversary in december 2004 and just that moment the group of my former parishionners came from Taganrog to visit me.

Alla, Jadwiga's daughter was Russian citizen after 20 years working in polar city Norilsk. She had to travel monthly to most close Russian city Taganrog to get her salary. I asked her to visit my parishioners and she organized the meeting. So many years ago I was making pastoral visits in their houses, now they came to me.

We came from Makeevka with delay. I wished to show Gorlovka first and visit in Enakevo happened at 4 PM except 3 PM. All the hour delay.

There were many food on the table still hot but all Enakevo parishioners has gone because ot bag whether and big snow. I saw their steps on the stairs. Even so my guests were happy seing such a beautifull church.

Many of them were sitting and eating with appetite but most wished me to confess them, so it was long line of people waiting such opportunity in such a nice church.

After that meeting, Latvian parishioner Valentina which ever was a bit strange send me a letter advising to study underground of church in which in her opinion happened some tragedy. She told me that this church is not a simple one, it is sanctuary. She also told me that it will take much tears to return previous excellent beauty. I agree her.

Epilogue

Concerning Lugansk, one young couple of lawyers got a message about church in Enakevo. They came from Lugansk and only taking to me they got information that also in Lugansk is small parish working.

I gave them address and in short time they became one of most active family in local community. Such Donietsk-Rostov stories.

Historic-geographic annotations

Donbass - (Donetsk Industrial Bassein).
The most south-east region of Ukraine. People are talking mostly Russian.
Oldest Donbass city is Artemovsk (old name Bakhmut).
Local church was built 150 years ago.
New name of Bakhmut is some communist Artem name.
Priests from Bakhmut were working first also in Donetsk and until 1905 in Lugansk.
We have in the city modern Furniture Fabric FORTE with Polish workers in head.
There are also biggest in Soviet Union unique Seven Salt Mines.
There are about 80.000 citizens.
Enakevo 160.000 citizens city. Here we have coal mines, Metallurgy, Cement Fabric.
Church was built in 1905 by owners of Metallurgic Fabric. They came from Belgium and they invited French priests from Assumtionist Congregation to work in Makeevka and Enakevo.
One of permanent priests was working in 1906-26. His name was fr. Eugene Neve; in the future he became Moscow Bishop.
Capital of Donbass actually is in famous city Donieck (previous name Yozovka, in memory of founder of the city which was Irish Catholic Joseph, later the city got name Stalino) around one million citizens.
Capital of catholic deanery. About 14 years work here Christ Fathers, special congregation caring polish emigrants.
We have in Donetsk Polish Culture Society with own paper "Polacy Donbasu", own Radio and TV programs monthly.

Fr. Jaroslaw Wisniewski

15 February 2005, Makeevka-Donbass-Ukraine