INSIDE: l Phone conversation between Poroshenko and Trump – page 3 l Boston Friends of UCU host Bishop Borys Gudziak – page 9 l Remembering the Holodomor 83 years after – centerfold THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXXIV No. 47 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 $2.00 Victims of 1932-1933 Holodomor Saakashvili resigns Odesa governorship, remembered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral citing sabotage of reform by central authorities by Mark Raczkiewycz KYIV – In July 2015, less than two months after his one-time college chum President Petro Poroshenko appointed him as governor of the strategic Black Sea region of Odesa, Mikheil Saakashvili deployed a bulldozer through an oligarch’s beachfront property to give the public access to the seashore. It was a display of his proclaimed resolve to sever the seemingly blurry nexus of politics and business, and clean up the region whose ports historically have served as a transit point for all sorts of vice and tax evasion. To replicate the feat, the former Georgian president, whom the World Bank named the world’s top reformer in 2006 for reducing graft and opening his country Mikheil Saakashvili/Facebook up to business, brought in a young, highly Mikheil Saakashvili, who resigned as educated team, some of them from his governor of Odesa Oblast. homeland, others from the West. nalists. “Odesa can only develop once Kyiv They included David Sakvarelidze, who Christine Syzonenko will be freed from these bribe-takers, who would simultaneously serve as the Odesa Children bring offerings of wheat stalks during the procession at the start of the directly patronize organized crime and Oblast’s prosecutor and as one of the coun- memorial service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. lawlessness.” try’s deputy prosecutors general. The president’s office subsequently by Roma Hadzewycz They came, as Bishop Paul Chomnycky After 17 months on the job, however, the accepted his resignation. Svyatoslav said in his opening remarks, because “It is energetic former president of Georgia Tseholko, the president’s spokesperson, NEW YORK – Hundreds of Ukrainian our solemn duty to remember this sad resigned on November 7, accusing his boss couldn’t be reached for comment. Americans from the tri-state area and page in the history of the Ukrainian people and local mafia clans allegedly loyal to him Lauded by Ukraine observers as a poten- beyond gathered at the landmark St. and, indeed, of the world, not only to of sabotaging him at every step, casting the tial model for emulation nationwide, Mr. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, November ensure that it is never repeated anywhere sincerity of Ukraine’s overall reform project Saakashvili had slashed his Soviet-era staff 12, for the annual commemoration of the ever again, but to commend to the Lord the in doubt. by half to 400 and replaced department Holodomor, the genocidal famine that “The president personally supports two killed millions in Ukraine in 1932-1933. (Continued on page 10) clans,” Mr. Saakashvili told a group of jour- (Continued on page 16) UOC of the U.S.A. Sobor announces Strategic Plan for future UOC of the U.S.A. at the Consistory rotunda, where the dele- ticipants of the 21st Regular Sobor of our Christians are called to overcome these gates, clergy and hierarchs gathered in Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United issues. He said: We are all called to work SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N.J. – The 21st anticipation of the opening procession. States of America, taking place in the towards our salvation, to fix historical Regular Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox The Very Revs. Bazyl Zawierucha and Metropolia Center from October 19-22, errors that have overtaken our homeland Church of the U.S.A. (UOC-U.S.A.) was held Stephen Hutnick carried the reliquary that 2016, with the scope of evaluating a of Ukraine, which declared independence at the Metropolia Center on October 19-22. contained the relics of 48 saints, including Strategic Plan for Church activity over the over 25 years ago and is still struggling for Metropolitan Antony introduced the St. John Chrysostom, St. Antony the Great, next five years. For this God-pleasing desire that independence to be unassailable. We Strategic Plan for the Church, explaining St. Gregory Palamas, St. Olha (Equal to the and endeavor, we offer our wholehearted must work towards not only an indepen- how crucial it is that everyone participate Apostles), St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. congratulations, as well as our prayers for dent nation, but an independent Ukrainian in order for it to be successful. A vibrant Volodymyr the Great (Equal to the faithful deliberations and for a successful Orthodox Church within Ukraine. presentation by Bill Marianes, filled with Apostles). Following the delegates and cler- conclusion, which we hope will rejuvenate Archbishop Jeremiah thanked eye-catching photos and verses, made it gy were Metropolitan Antony, Metropolitan a deeper love and longing for Christ and His Metropolitan Antony for his continuous, clear that it is the very future of the Yurij of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Church. ...” generous and loving support of the UOC- Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is at stake. Canada, Archbishop Jeremiah of South Metropolitan Yurij greeted the Sobor U.S.A’s eparchy in South America. He The plan includes goals in the realms of America, and Bishop Daniel of the Western body and expressed his great honor at expressed heartfelt greetings on behalf of administration, clergy, communications, Eparchy of the UOC-U.S.A. and president of being present once again at the Sobor of all the faithful of South America and education, family and youth, healthy par- the Consistory of the UOC-U.S.A. the UOC-U.S.A. He confirmed the strong assured those gathered that they will be in ishes, outreach and evangelism, steward- Once the opening prayer, and ceremo- bonds between the Ukrainian Orthodox his prayers for a successful Sobor. ship and technology. nies and the appointment of the Sobor pre- Church in Canada and the U.S.A. and about Metropolitan Antony compared the new At the beginning of the Sobor, a divine sidium had taken place, delegates began a how well the two Churches often work path of the Church, the new Strategic Plan liturgy was celebrated at St. Andrew very intensive agenda. together, supporting one another in the that was to be discussed on the final day of Memorial Church by Metropolitan Antony Metropolitan Antony presented the for- common goal of growing Christ’s Church. the Sobor, to a “renovation.” of the UOC-U.S.A., assisted by clergy who mal greeting from Ecumenical Patriarch He mentioned that this is a critical time in Bishop Daniel then presented his report had arrived for the Clergy Conference that Bartholomew I: “…It is with great joy and the world, with much discord and disagree- preceded the commencement of the Sobor paternal affection that we greet all the par- ment and we, as Ukrainian Orthodox (Continued on page 14) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 No. 47 ANALYSIS Saakashvili’s resignation: Start U.N. panel condemns abuses in Crimea Ukraine in 2014 has not been allowed into Crimea. “Russia wants to make sure only UNITED NATIONS – A United Nations one voice is heard in Crimea – Russia’s,” of parliamentary election campaign? panel has condemned human rights abuses said U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the U.N. in Crimea and pressed Russia to allow U.N. by Oleksandr Gavrylyuk Yatsenyuk’s resignation, but President Sarah Mendelson. “States should not have Poroshenko ultimately preferred to see his monitors to visit the Ukrainian territory it to fear that a neighbor, however powerful, Eurasia Daily Monitor annexed in 2014. The U.N. General old client, Volodymyr Groysman, head the will seize their territory.” (RFE/RL, with Assembly’s human rights committee, in its The sudden resignation of the governor national government (Facebook.com/ reporting by AP and AFP) of Odesa Oblast, Georgia’s former President anton.gerashchenko.7, November 7). first action on Crimea, adopted a resolution Mikheil Saakashvili, roiled the Ukrainian Having appointed Mr. Groysman, the drafted by Ukraine and backed by the Hague prosecutor on Ukraine conflict media landscape last week (November 7). president took full control of the Cabinet’s United States, France and Britain by a vote of 73 to 23 on November 15, with 76 WASHINGTON – The lead prosecutor for Mr. Saakashvili was appointed to head the activity, just as he had earlier done with the the International Criminal Court (ICC) has coastal Black Sea province in May 2015 by country’s National Bank and the Foreign abstentions. The resolution next month goes for a vote before the full assembly of for the first time said the simmering con- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, a Affairs Ministry, wrote the influential flict in Ukraine should be considered an long-time personal friend. He attributed his Ukrainian blogger who goes by the name 193 members, which is expected to approve it. Russia lobbied hard against the international armed conflict between resignation to continual sabotage of his “Anti-Colorados.” This, in his opinion, Russia and Ukraine. As a practical matter, meant the preservation of Mr. Saakashvili resolution, dismissing it as “politically moti- regional reform efforts by the central gov- the determination by Fatou Bensouda, and his Ukrainian team and, at the same vated” and “one-sided.” The people of ernment, including by the president’s “cor- issued on November 14, will change noth- rupt inner circle” (YouTube, November 7). time, Mr. Poroshenko’s refusal to carry out Crimea “chose to vote in a historic referen- ing on the ground in eastern Ukraine, The presidential administration respond- radical reforms.