The adoption of the Church Union by the Orthodox diocese of Lviv at the turn of 17 th – 18 th centuries and its subsequent confessional transformation in the first quarter of the 18 th century

Abstract

The features of the process of adoption of the Church Union by Orthodox Christians in the
diocese of Lviv at the end of 17 ^th – first quarter of the 18 ^th century and changes of confessional
identity toward the Uniate are analyzed. Considerable attention is also focused to the last
Orthodox centers, vestiges of the Orthodox identity in the Uniate Church (particularly among
Lviv Brotherhood) and Uniate clergy measures concerning termination of Orthodox influences
on their flock. Not only the fact of the transition of the diocese to the Eastern (Greek) rite of
Catholicism is highlighted, but also the process of secret preparation of the diocese by the
higher clergy – led by bishop Iosyf Shumliansky – to accept the Church Union. Subsequent
transformation of religious consciousness among newly-converted formal Uniates during the
first quarter of the 18 ^th century is shown. The problem of violence in the implementation of
Union in the diocese of Lviv and the ratio between voluntariness and coercion at the change
of faith towards Uniatic are considered.
Keywords: Orthodoxy, Uniоn, «the new Union», Iosyf Shumliansky, confessionalisation