It is 140 years since the birth of IVAN OGIENKO

On January 14, Ukrainian scientist, linguist, pedagogue, public and political figure, father of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ivan Ivanovich Ogienko turns 140 years old. He made an invaluable contribution to the development of Ukrainian culture as a translator of church works and compiled many copies of dictionaries and manuals on the history of Ukrainian culture. And the main thing in his life was the translation of the Holy Scriptures the Bible into our native language.

The future metropolitan was born in the town of Brusyliv, which is now located in the Zhytomyr region. He received his primary education in his hometown, then studied at the Kyiv Military Paramedic School, where he first engaged in editorial work with his colleague. He graduated from St. Vladimir's University, and 6 years later, after receiving a master's degree, he began lecturing at the Department of Russian Language and Literature. During the Ukrainization he was one of the first to give lectures in the Ukrainian language.

After the establishment of the Central Council, he became a member of the Ministry of Education, and in the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic he received the title of Minister of Education. He made a lot of effort in this position, which fully justified his efforts. He completely Ukrainianized educational institutions and the entire sphere of worship, which were on the territory controlled by the UPR.

Later in his life came a difficult period of emigration. First Poland, then Vynnyky (a town near Lviv). A few years after his wife's death, he became a monk and took the name Hilarion. He was bishop and later metropolitan of Kholm Cathedral. He carried out the Ukrainianization of the church, introduced the Ukrainian language in worship. After the Second World War he had to emigrate to Slovakia, Switzerland, and later to Canada. There he stayed in Winnipeg, where he lived for the rest of his life. He was elected Primate of the UGOC in Canada and Metropolitan of Winnipeg. He devoted his later life to worship and research into the history of the Ukrainian church.

In honor of his memory, a museum, university, several awards were named after him, plaques with his name can be found on many buildings, and in Vynnyky, Zhytomyr and Winnipeg you can see his monuments.