Constantine (Buggan) of Irinoupolis
His Eminence Constantine (Buggan) of Irinoupolis was the Metropolitan of Irinoupolis and the Ruling Hierarch of the Central Eparchy and the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA under the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople from 1993 to 2012.
Life
Theodore Stanislavovich Buggan was born on July 29, 1936 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Stanley (Stanislav) and Catherine Buggan. During his childhood his religious life centered around St. Vladimir parish that was located across the street from his home and where he was baptized. After graduating from high school in 1955, Theodore entered St. Andrew College, the seminary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. After his graduation in 1959, with a Licentiate in Theology, Theodore continued his education at St. Vladimir's Seminary, then in New York City, and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh from which he received in 1967 the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
On April 23, 1967, Theodore was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) in St. Andrew’s Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. On July 23, 1967, Dcn. Theodore was ordained a priest in his home parish of St. Vladimir in Pittsburgh by Metropolitan John (Theodorovich) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. On September 1, 1967, Father Theodore initially was assigned as assistant priest at St. Vladimir Cathedral in Chicago before he was assigned as the priest of St. Nicholas Parish in Troy, New York. There, he served from 1968 to 1972.
On December 18, 1971, Fr. Theodore was tonsured a monk and given the name Constantine. The next day, December 19, he was raised to the dignity of archimandrite. On May 7, 1972, Fr. Theodore was consecrated Bishop by Metropolitan Mstyslav and Bishop Mark (Hundiak) in St. Vladimir Cathedral in Philadelphia and was assigned the Episcopal See of Chicago. Bp. Constantine was elevated to the rank of archbishop in 1976, and in 1992 to metropolitan. After Metr. Mstyslav died on June 11, 1993, Abp. Constantine was elected to lead the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America, and in 1994, of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America.
In 1994, Metr. Constantine was invited by the Ecumenical Patriarchate for discussions about the renewal of the ancient relationship between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. On March 12, 1995, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate, after examining the appeal of Metr. Constantine (Buggan) and his fellow Ukrainian bishops to the Ecumenical Patriarch, decided unanimously to accept them under the omophorion of the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Subsequently, the Holy Synod elected Metr. Constantine the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA with the title of Metropolitan of Irinoupolis.
In 1996, Metr. Constantine presided over the unification of two Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdictions in the USA, that of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of USA as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA with jurisdiction over the Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in the USA and other parts of the diaspora except Canada.
On May 21, 2012, Metropolitan Constantine (Buggan) died from congestive heart failure in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of 75. Funeral services took place at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, with his internment at St. Vladimir Parish Cemetery.
| Constantine (Buggan) of Irinoupolis | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: ? |
Metropolitan of Chicago 1972 - 1993 |
Succeeded by: ? |
| Preceded by: Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) |
Metropolitan of Irinoupolis 1993 - 2012 |
Succeeded by: ? |