The '''Union of Brest''' refers to was the 1595-1596 decision of a number of Orthodox bishops in the ([[Eastern Catholic Churches|Ruthenian]]) Church region of Rus'what is modern Ukraine, the Metropolia of Kiev-Halych Poland and all Belarus ("Rus', ") to break relations with depart from the [[Orthodox Church of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] and place itself themselves under the [[Roman Catholic Church|Pope of Rome]] in order to avoid being ruled by the newly established [[Church of Russia|Patriarch of Moscow]]. At Thus was formed the time, this church included most Ukrainians and Belarusians'''Unia''', under from whence derives the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The [[hierarch]]s of the Kievan church gathered in [[synod]] in the city of Brest to compose the unionterm '''''Uniate'''''s 33 articles, which were then accepted by the [[Roman Catholic]] pope. At first widely successful, within several decades it had lost much of its initial support. In Austrian Galicia, however, the church fared well and remains strong to this day, most notably in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The union was strongly supported by At the time, the church in the king of Poland area included most Ukrainians and grand duke Belarusians, under the rule of Lithuania, Sigismund III Vasa, but opposed by some the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The [[bishophierarch]]s and prominent nobles of Rusthe Kievan church gathered in [[synod]] in the city of Brest to compose the union' and perhaps most importantly s 33 articles, which were then accepted by the nascent Cossack movement for Ukrainian self-rule[[Roman Catholic]] pope. At first widely successful, within several decades it lost much of its initial support. The result was "Rus' fighting against Rus'" In Austrian Galicia, however, the church fared well and remains strong to this day, most notably in the splitting of the Church of Rus' into Ukrainian Greek Catholic — also known as Uniate — and Orthodox jurisdictionsChurch.

==Background== A large area in the southwest of Russia became absorbed The union was strongly supported by Lithuania and Poland after the destruction of Kievan power by the Tartars. This southwestern part of Russia was commonly known as Little Russia or the Ukraine. In 1386, the kingdoms king of Poland and grand duke of Lithuania were united under a single ruler. The monarch of the united realm was Roman Catholic, and a substantial minority of the population were Russian and Orthodox. These Orthodox were in a tight spot because the Patriarch of ConstantinopleSigismund III Vasa, to whose but opposed by some [[jurisdictionbishop]] they belonged, could exercise no control in Poland especially since it had fallen to s and prominent nobles of Rus' and perhaps most importantly by the Arabsnascent Cossack movement for Ukrainian self-rule. The bishops were appointed not by result was "Rus' fighting against Rus'" and the splitting of many traditionally Orthodox Christian people from their ancestral Church but by the Roman Catholic king of Poland.

The authorities ==Background==A large area in the southwest of the Rusyn Empire became absorbed by Lithuania and Poland always tried to make after the destruction of Kievan power by the Orthodox submit to Tartars. This southwestern part of Rus' was known as ''Little Rus''' (which in Latin became ''Ruthenia''); this is the pope to reunify Christianityterritory that is present day Ukraine. With In 1386, the arrival kingdoms of Poland and Lithuania were united under a single ruler. The monarch of the Jesuits in 1564united realm was Roman Catholic, pressure on and a substantial minority of the population were Orthodox increased. Secret negotiations with the These Orthodox bishops, were in a difficult situation because the nominees Patriarch of Roman Catholic monarchsConstantinople, to whose [[jurisdiction]] they belonged, could exercise no control in Poland, were used as the former Byzantine capital had fallen to "unite" them with Rome without the faithful’s knowledgeMuslim Turks. But instead it led to a council being summoned at Brest-Litovsk to proclaim The bishops were appointed not by the Church but by the union with Rome publiclyRoman Catholic king of Poland.

At this synod six out of eight The authorities in Poland always tried to make the Orthodox bishops — including submit to the pope to reunify Christianity. With the Metropolitan arrival of Kiev, Michael Ragoza — supported the unionJesuits in 1564, but pressure on the remaining two bishops, together with a large number Orthodox increased. The state of the delegates from church in the [[monastery|monasteries]] area was poor; clergy were uneducated and from the [[parish]] [[clergy]], desired bishops were without the funds they needed to properly run the church. Many priests were ordained without basic training and new rites were developing that were neither Latin nor Greek in their character. Constantinople was under Muslim rule and Moscow had recently been elevated to remain members the status of the Orthodox Churchpatriarchate. The two sides concluded by excommunicating bishops of the Rus' were stuck between a population converting to Roman Catholicism on the West and anathematizing one anothera rising Muscovite force in the East.

The government recognized only At the decisions synod in Brest six out of eight Orthodox bishops—including the Roman party at the Council Metropolitan of BrestKiev, soMichael Ragoza—supported the union, but the remaining three bishops from their point the extreme west of viewUkraine and eastern Poland (Lviv, Lutsk, and Przemyśl) would not join the Orthodox Church in Poland had now ceased union until later (1700, 1702, and 1693 respectively). The Cossack forces of Ukraine felt the union was a betrayal to exist. Against the wishes of both Polish rulers and united with the monks Russian Empire to fight against Poland and all who supported the congregationsempire, monasteries and churches were forcibly seized and given to including the UniatesGreek-Catholics.

This attempt In 1620 Patriarch [[Theophanes III of Jerusalem]] arrived in Kiev and consecrated an Orthodox hierarchy, including [[Job (Boretsky) of Kiev|Job (Boretsky)]] as Metropolitan of Kiev, for the unity church and thus there emerged a situation of Christendom backfired, both Orthodox and Eastern Catholic bishops coexisting in the Union of Brest has further embittered relations between Orthodoxy and Rome same territory in Ukraine from 1596 until the present day. The main sore point is that, from the Orthodox point of view, the Jesuits began their quest for union through deceit and then resorted to violenceonwards.

* ''The Orthodox Church'' , 2nd ed., by Bishop [[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Kallistos Ware]]* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wwiki/Union_of_Brest Wikipedia:Union of Brest]* ''Crisis and Reform: The Kyivan Metropolinate, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Genesis of the Union of Brest'' by Borys A. Gudziak. Harvard University Press, 2001. (ISBN 0-916458-92-X)*[http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/B/O/BoretskyYov.htm Encyclopedia of Ukraine - BoretskyYov]*[http://indexwww.novelguide.php?titlecom/a/discover/eemw_03/eemw_03_00594.html Kiev] ==External link=Union_of_Brest&oldid=135869483 wikipedia* [http://jbburnett.com/resources/union-of-brest.html Articles of the Union of Brest]