Joseph (Žuk) of New Jersey
His Grace Joseph (Žuk) was an Orthodox bishop who, through association with American Orthodox Catholic Church, became the first bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA during the early 1930s.
Life
Joseph A. Žuk was born in Austro-Hungarian Eastern Galicia in the early 1870s. After completing his primary schooling, Joseph attended the University of Lemberg. After his graduation, he continued his studies at the Theological Seminary at Innsbruck, graduating with a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1899. He then became the rector of the seminary at the age of 33. Later elevated to the rank of mitered prelate, Joseph was appointed by Pope Pius X as papal delegate and Vicar General in Bosnia. In November of 1917 he was appointed Papal Nuncio to Ukraine.
In 1921 at the request of Pope Benedict XIV he came to North America to assist in the religious need of the massive Ukrainian Catholic migration and to prepare himself for the appointment to Bishop of all the Eastern Rite Catholics on the continent. With the untimely death of Pope Benedict and the elevation of Cardinal Ratti, aka Pope Pius XI, to the papacy everything changed. Pope Pius XI was Fr Joseph's superior in the Vatican diplomatic corps. They often clashed on delicate matters with Pope Benedict often interceding on Father Joseph's behalf. In 1928, he joined with other Ukrainian Catholic clergy and left the Catholic Church to join the Orthodox Church. He became associated with the American Orthodox Catholic Church led by Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh. Serving as a priest, Fr. Joseph served parishes in Syracuse, New York; Passaic, New Jersey; and Allentown and McAdoo, Pennsylvania.
In 1931, Fr. Joseph was nominated to become the bishop of a group of Ukrainian Orthodox that became the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA. In September 1932, Fr. Joseph was consecrated an auxiliary bishop by Abp. Aftimios and Bp. Sophronios Beshara in New York City to serve the Ukrainian diocese. Bp. Joseph presided over this Ukrainian diocese in America, leading a flock of about six parishes for just 17 months.
On February 23, 1934, Red Army day, Bp. Joseph died St. Petersburg, Florida. He was poisoned at lunch on orders from Joseph Stalin under the code name Operation Tryst Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) of the Greek Archdiocese of North and South America presided at Bp. Joseph's funeral, which took place in Carteret, New Jersey. He was buried in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
Two years later, the Ukrainian diocese formally joined the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
| Joseph (Žuk) of New Jersey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: — |
Bishop of New Jersey (UOCinUSA) 1932-1934 |
Succeeded by: Bohdan (Spylka) |
Sources
External link
- Mourn Bishop's Death Buffalo Courier-Express, Wednesday, February 28, 1934, p. 5.
