Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring

The Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia found itself outlawed after its violent liquidation by the brachial communist power in 1950, and the members of this church were forced to convert to the Orthodox faith. This study explains the difficult process of renewal of the Greek Catholic Church and...

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Main Author: Ľuboslav Hromják
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/26
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author Ľuboslav Hromják
author_facet Ľuboslav Hromják
author_sort Ľuboslav Hromják
collection DOAJ
description The Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia found itself outlawed after its violent liquidation by the brachial communist power in 1950, and the members of this church were forced to convert to the Orthodox faith. This study explains the difficult process of renewal of the Greek Catholic Church and its structures in the context of the <i>Ostpolitik</i> of the Holy See, represented by the Vatican diplomat and later secretary of state Agostino Casaroli, and in the context of the political relaxation in Czechoslovakia in 1968, during the so-called Prague Spring. In addition to the scientific literature, this study is based on historical research carried out in the historical archive of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican within the Agostino Casaroli fund, which has so far been processed little. In the study, the author describes the most significant steps which lead to the official legalization of the Greek Catholic Church on June 13, 1968, as well as the difficult process of negotiating the terms of the restored church with the state-enforced Orthodox Church.
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spelling doaj-art-5e4f423cc9c5484383965c4462ec36852025-01-24T13:47:20ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-12-011612610.3390/rel16010026Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague SpringĽuboslav Hromják0Faculty of Ecclesiastical Oriental Sciences, Pontificia Università Gregoriana, 00 185 Rome, ItalyThe Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia found itself outlawed after its violent liquidation by the brachial communist power in 1950, and the members of this church were forced to convert to the Orthodox faith. This study explains the difficult process of renewal of the Greek Catholic Church and its structures in the context of the <i>Ostpolitik</i> of the Holy See, represented by the Vatican diplomat and later secretary of state Agostino Casaroli, and in the context of the political relaxation in Czechoslovakia in 1968, during the so-called Prague Spring. In addition to the scientific literature, this study is based on historical research carried out in the historical archive of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican within the Agostino Casaroli fund, which has so far been processed little. In the study, the author describes the most significant steps which lead to the official legalization of the Greek Catholic Church on June 13, 1968, as well as the difficult process of negotiating the terms of the restored church with the state-enforced Orthodox Church.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/26Greek Catholic ChurchEparchy of PrešovlegalizationCouncil of PrešovVasiľ Hopko1950–1968
spellingShingle Ľuboslav Hromják
Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
Religions
Greek Catholic Church
Eparchy of Prešov
legalization
Council of Prešov
Vasiľ Hopko
1950–1968
title Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
title_full Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
title_fullStr Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
title_full_unstemmed Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
title_short Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
title_sort restoration of the greek catholic church in czechoslovakia during the prague spring
topic Greek Catholic Church
Eparchy of Prešov
legalization
Council of Prešov
Vasiľ Hopko
1950–1968
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/1/26
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