The Deanery of Sumy is a part of the Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia of the Latin Catholic Church in Ukraine. It includes four north-eastern Ukrainian towns, Sumy, Romny, Konotop and Shostka.2008. Rzymsko-Katolicke Koscioly Dekanatu Sumskiego (Diecezja Carkowsko-Zaporozska Ukraina). — Sumy: Ellada Publishing House, 2007; p.p. 4, 5, 7, 8.
The center of the deanery is located on the high right bank of the Psel River (left tributary of the Dnieper), in one of the old districts in the heart of the ancient1. "Secrets of Condratevs" (article; translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: "Good Day", Sumy, newspaper, #4; Friday, January 20, 1995; p.5 ("Добрий день", Сумська газета, №4, 20 січня 1995 р.; с.5)): "...ancient Sumian site of old town..."2. Sumian Land From Antiquity Till Nowadays. Scientific handbook. Compiler: L. A. Pokidchenko.— Sumy: Publishing House "Slobozhanian Land", Sumy Regional State Administration & State Archives of Sumy Region, 2000 (translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: Сумщина від давнини до сьогодення. Науковий довідник. Упорядник: Л.А. Покидченко.— Суми: Вид-во "Слобожанщина", Сум. обл. держ. адм. та Держ. архів Сум. обл., 2000).— Part I. From the history of populated areas of Sumy Region. Sumy; p.23 (Частина І. З історії населених пунктів Сумської області. Суми; с.23): "As far back as the beginning of Anno Domini, in the 2nd-6th centuries, hereat lived Slavs. Vestiges of their settlement and graveyards had been discovered in the South-West part of the town, on Pavlov Street. In 8th-10th centuries in the area of former village Topoli existed a settlement of Severians, and in Luca till our times had remained traces of large site of ancient town of days of Kiev Rus, that some researches identify with Old Russian town Lipetsk." — Annotation: mentioned in this excerpt of article "Severians" were one of groups of Slav tribes in Middle Ages, and other two — Topoli and Luca — are districts of modern Sumy.3. Sumian Land in the History of Ukraine. Educational material. Belashov V.I., Belinska L.I., Blyznuk A.M. & others. Editorial board: Golubchenko V.U. (editor-in-chief), Blyznuk A.M. & others. Readers: Andrushchenko V.P. (academician, D.Phil., prof., rector of Kiev National Pedagogic University) & others.— Sumy: Publishing House "McDen", Sumy Regional Museum of Ethnography, Museum of Education and Science of Sumian Land & State Archives of Sumy Region, 2005 (translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: Сумщина в історії України. Навчальний посібник. Бєлашов В.І., Бєлінська Л.І., Близнюк А.М. та ін. Ред колегія: Голубченко В.Ю. (гол. ред.), Близнюк А.М. та ін. Рецензенти: Андрущенко В.П. (акад., докт. філос. н., проф., рект. Київ Нац. педаг. унів.) та ін. — Суми: Вид-во "МакДен", Сум. обл. краєзнавч. музей, музей освіти та науки Сумщини та Держ. арх. Сум. обл., 2005).— Section I. Sumian Land in the most ancient times. On border and in the first half of the 1st millennium A.D., p.33 (Розділ І. Сумщина за найдавніших часів. На рубежі та в першій половині І тис. н.е., с.33): "The researching of Chernyachov culture on territory of our land ... had begun ... N. Macarenko. In 1950-60s were conducted excavations of graveyards in town Sumy..."; p.37 (с.37): "Often those ones are found by chanse during earth- and building- work. In such way had been discovered graveyards on Pavlov Street..." — Annotation: Beforementioned "Chernyachov culture" was archaeological culture of the period of the Great transmigration of peoples of the 4th-6th centuries. A.D. Section II. Epoch of Kiev State of the 9th-12th centuries. Archaeological monuments of Old Russian origin, p.51 (Розділ ІІ. Епоха Київ. держави IX-XII ст. Археологічні пам'ятки давньоруського походження, с.51): "Large Old Russian site of ancient town, which was studying by scientists in the area of Topoli Street in Sumy, is considered as ancient fortress Lipetsk."4. Sumian Land From Antiquity Till Nowadays. Scientific handbook. Compiler: L.A. Pokidchenko.— Sumy: Publishing House "Slobozhanian Land", Sumy Regional State Administration & State Archives of Sumy Region, 2000; p.23 (translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: Сумщина від давнини до сьогодення. Науковий довідник. Упорядник: Л.А. Покидченко.— Суми: Вид-во "Слобожанщина", Сум. обл. держ. адм. та Держ. архів Сум. обл., 2000; с.23): "Old Russian chronicles name such large towns on territory of Sumian Land ... town Lipetsk (Lipovetsk) in Sumy."; ibidem, p. 164 (там же; с 164): "In January, 1284 [in internecine war] had been burnt many populated areas ... in Lipetsk ... principality...", the capital of which was situated in Lipetsk, now district Luca in Sumy. Ukrainian capitalSumian Land From Antiquity Till Nowadays. Scientific handbook. Compiler: L.A. Pokidchenko.— Sumy: Publishing House "Slobozhanian Land", Sumy Regional State Administration & State Archives of Sumy Region, 2000 (translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: Сумщина від давнини до сьогодення. Науковий довідник. Упорядник: Л.А. Покидченко.— Суми: Вид-во "Слобожанщина", Сум. обл. держ. адм. та Держ. архів Сум. обл., 2000).— Part I. From the history of populated areas of Sumy Region. Sumy; p.24 (Частина І. З історії населених пунктів Сумської області. Суми; с.24): "Had happened alteration in administrative status of town. Before 1732 it was a center of regiment, in 1732-1743 was governed by Chancellery of Committee of Founding Slobodian Regiments, situated in Sumy." — Annotation: Chancellery of Committee of Founding Slobodian Regiments played role of government of Slobodian Land, now North-East Ukraine. Sumy. In the Middle Ages, the town was annexed by the possessions of the Orthodox monastery of St. Sophronius of the Wilderness (near Putivl). The unique cave priory, founded by the first Greek missionaries who came to Kievan Rus' from Byzantine, was razed almost to the ground in the 1960s by communists. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the main church of the deanery, is located in Sumy.
Other significant Latin Catholic sites in the region include the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Romny, the Church of Our Lady of Fatima in Konotop, and the Church of St. Joseph in Shostka.2008. Rzymsko-Katolicke Koscioly Dekanatu Sumskiego (Diecezja Carkowsko-Zaporozska Ukraina). — Sumy: Ellada Publishing House, 2007; p.p. 4, 5, 7, 8.
Sumy
The history of the comparatively new Latin Catholic parish in town Sumy is dramatic. It faced a number of ordeals while Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. At the end of the 19th century Latin Catholics in Sumy had decided to build their own church, which was approved in 1900 with the aid of famous patron Maecenas Paul Kharitonenko (1853–1914), at whose sugar refineries, the largest in Europe and Russia,"Love Sumy Insomuch As I Do" (article; translation; original text in Ukrainian see in: "Good Day", Sumy, newspaper, #29; June 28, 1996; p.5 ("Добрий день", Сумська газета, №29, 28 червня 1996 р.; с.5)): "Production of sugar-refineries of company "I.G. Kharitonenko & son" had been carried on to get acknowledgement all over the world. Sugar-stuffs of Kharitonenko won medals, honorary diplomas at world expositions in Nizza, Paris, Philadelphia. In 1912 P. Kharitonenko possessed 8 sugar-refineries. These were: the largest in Russia and Europe Pavlov's sugar-refinery in Sumy, that every year produced 5 million puds (80 million kg) of lump-sugar; sugar-refineries — Vyrovsky, Natalian, Parkhomian, Ugroedian, Yankovorovsky (Kharkiv province); Krasnoyarusky (Kursk province); Chanovsky (Chernigov province). Pavel Ivanovich also was the largest shareholder of Tsiglyarovsky sugar company. Used the largest personal credit of the State Bank — 9 million roubles. In 1914 to P. Kharitonenko belonged 10 sugar-refineries, about 30 thousand tithes of leasehold for crops of sugar roots. Factories of Pavel Ivanovich were assessed at 60 million roubles, and supplied sugar to the North and South of Russia, Siberia, where he had storage at greatest cities. And not only in Russia, but also abroad, specifically in Iran, Europe, USA too, where Kharitonenko competed with Cuban sugar manufacturers." worked many specialists from Europe, chiefly Latin Catholics from Poland and the Czech Republic.Religious Information Service of Ukraine The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Gothic style, was built in 1901. "...All attempts to find information about the building process as well as its interior have been unsuccessful"2008. Rzymsko-Katolicke Koscioly Dekanatu Sumskiego (Diecezja Carkowsko-Zaporozska Ukraina). Sumy: Ellada Publishing House, 2007; p. 15. to date. Consecrated in 1911 by Jan Tsepliak, bishop of Mogilev, the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was closed by authorities two decades later, and was not used as intended. After World War II, a museum, then a gym, were located there for 50 years. Only after the fall of the USSR was the church again used as a Latin Catholic church and in spring 1998 it was solemnly reconsecrated.
The first masses (1911–1915) at the church were led by parish priest Fr. Theodor Ryllo. He also gave lessons in religion at Alexander High School, 1st and 2nd High Schools, the technical educational institution and the military college in Sumy, and at the high school in Lebedin.
His successor (1916–1919) was chaplain Fr. A. Krzhivitsky, whose assistants during festivities were Fr. Florian Garaburda and Fr. Jozef Varpekhovsky.
The last registration was on November 20, 1919. Archive documents witness that on February 21, 1926, believers met to form a parish council and commission for inspections. The last mass before the church was closed down was held in 1932 by Fr. Vagonis. Some masses were conducted during World War II.
Reformation, proclaimed by Mikhail Gorbachev, had enabled believers to begin the struggle of reviving the town's Latin Catholic parish. And soon, after Ukraine had found independence, at the end of 1991, the parish reopened.Sotnik A. N. This is our history. Chronicle-documentary work on religious life in Sumian Land in connection with history of Christianity in Ukraine. Rivne: Svitankova Zorja, 1997; p. 144.
In the beginning, parishioners gathered for services every two weeks (1991 – August 1992) conducted by the parish priest of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kharkiv, Fr. George Zyminsky, directly on the church's stairs. After the church building had been returned to the parish, ill-wishers turned out the lights during the service.
The first priest (September 1992 – February 1995) of the new parish was a priest appointed from the Diocese of Zhytomyr, Fr. Vitaly Skomarovsky. During his service, in May 1994, the building again began to be used as a church.
The following two parish priests were Fr. Gennadius Bilinsky (March 1995 – September 1997) and Fr. Felix Svintsitsky (September 1997 – August 1999). During the latter's service, the church was reconsecrated by the Bishop of Zhytomyr, Jan Purvinsky, on 25 March 1998.
The fourth parish priest (September 1999 – June 2006) was Fr. Stanislav Tanatarov.
For the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of Christmas, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel (about high) was erected on the left side of the church's courtyard. A bronze statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with an Infant in her arms was placed on the left side of the church and building behind it, where the residents of the parish priest and Latin Catholic religious mission are accommodated. Standing on a red brick pedestal with a quadrilateral base of black stone, surrounded by flowers, grass and trees, the polished figure is reminiscent of the sacramental.
Since 2002 the church's canteen has been operated by members of the Secular Franciscan Order, a branch of which has been based out of the parish since spring of 1999.