Отець Володимир Маргітич

"When it was agreed that the Metropolitan will consecrate me, Father Drybitko said: "Well, how come, we need a cope, we should come up with something". And now it was August 19th, on a great feast. It has been agreed that within the 15 min. past 10 in the morning we come in, in the middle of the Service, and the Metropolitan should consecrate me. But we still were not ready because we had planned to make some cope. I had a coat. We cut the lining of the coat, cut off the sleeves and that’s all, because the lining was on the coat. So we were fast as we could, so hastened, prepared, and we were even late for 3 min. to the Metropolitan. He was waiting for us that even nodded his head, why we were late, because there every minute was important... In fact, I was so deeply in that Consecration and that I wanted to be a priest, I, to tell the truth, I did not feel something special, because I was always strained regarding this. But this day I remember ... The consecration itself, of course, it has already occurred between two beds... - Between two nary? - Between two nary, on the floor, in front of the bedside table... - Of the Metropolitan? - Yes, where metropolitan slept ... It is hard to express with the words, then at that moment, it was, that this event took place behind the barbed wire, when you are imprisoned and they can give you 25 years more for it, if they would found out. But I was not afraid for myself, I was afraid for the Metropolitan. "

"We must tell the truth that our Greek Catholic priests also were treated with great respect not only among prisoners but also by the administration. Though there were persecutions, but we worked honestly, they had never any hassles with us. What should have been done, we always did, all plans, as was said, we performed. But on the other hand he was treated – and as a great figure with respect, and as a person - himself and his behavior. When he was walking by, all stood up, all looked, all greeted him- because this was the Metropolitan. Not because of he was Metropolitan, and because this was such a man as he could sit at home like all the others sit, and maybe somewhere in the office himself, but, you see, chose this place as the Metropolitan "

"It was Sunday, and this father Drybitko, who was always present, he was on duty in the shop where we worked, and he says:" We will prepare it. " So we cleaned, wiped, dried well, because we had nothing to spread, only he had a napkin, which he used to cover during the Service. On the machine, on the table of circular saw, on iron, he set up everything and said that we need to lead the Service. My first service was on the circular table, on iron ... It was the first God service, then I was consecrated. Well, what we had, we have not these chalices, we only got a small cup, very small, as in the pharmacy, they gave me and gave me also a little paten – and that’s all. I have already conducted the Service myself. I put in the bedside table, because it was a little bit hard for me. Also we should mention that we did not have the text of the Service, and I did not know it by heart. I knew, but not by heart. So our metropolitan gathered us and said that they should write me a text of the service. And divided: that one to Gospel, to Wisdom, that after the Gospel, and then a second one again, in lumps. There were five of them, and they wrote it. I, copied at such a moment, that no one could see me, just in one day. So I was reading it, fearing that someone could see and take it. I was afraid not because somebody can take it, but that the Holy Gifts can be taken, I was afraid because of that. Then they have written it, and I had a text of the Service, and till this day I have this little notebook , where it had been written. "

"... They came in, wondering who he was, how he looks like. Here they lead him to us, brought into the camp. We were happy, it was such a joy for us, so you should not have been happy, but we were glad that he came to us. He was chosen the place, and about a half an hour he came out to go for a walk, I approached him with another man, Mamchur Stepan, from Kyiv ... So we come to him, our Metropolitan, and I congratulated him with Ukrainian Easter. He glanced, stooped a little (he was tall, with beard), looked up, wept, put a hand on my shoulder, and said: "Thank you, thank you" - three times. I saw that he was a little embarrassed. - "Sorry" - we turned and went away. This was our first meeting and the first time I met him approximately in about half an hour. - What was his appearance, how have you perceived him, you personally? - First, it was a person if you look at him; he deserved a great respect in all aspects. I do not want to talk about his smartness, and how much time he has already spent in the camps and how he was tired by walking all around, how was tormented, how much he had to his own misfortune, because he refused of what was been imposed by power. He had a great willpower. He was a great man and was held in respect by everyone. I remember a small incident. Somewhere on the third day, when the Metropolitan was brought to us, he was very tall, and now was standing on the stairs into the barrack, turned to the barrack, and in front of him a superintendent was standing with a shaving machine. And he, standing on the stairs, was shaving him. He stood on the stairs a bit higher, for there he was short, and the Metropolitan higher. He was shaving his head bold; I looked and thought, "God, you do not know who you are shaving."