Pavlo Hayda

Fr. Pavlo Denys Hayda (Ukrainian: Павло Денис Гайда ) (October 22, 1964 – September 4, 2007) was a Ukrainian Catholic priest, most notable for being the pastor of St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church between 1995 and 2007. He preached extensively on the subject of Eastern Theology and its practical application in a modern lifestyle, especially in ministering to the Church's youth. Notably, he was the first priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to be legally ordained in Ukraine following the collapse of the Soviet Union and emergence of the Church from its underground.

Fr. Pavlo was born in Battle Creek, Michigan on October 22, 1964 to Roma and Ihor Hayda. He grew up with three older siblings, Borys, Marko and Roman.

In his youth, Fr. Pavlo was an active member in the Ukrainian community as a member of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast. Fr. Pavlo finished grade school and Fairfield College Preparatory School in Easton, Connecticut. In 1982 Fr. Pavlo spent the summer in Harvard, studying Ukrainian language and preparing for his college studies. Initially having the desire to study engineering, Fr. Pavlo felt a vocation to enter the priesthood, following in the footsteps of forebearers who were priests, going back over four hundred years.

In 1982 Fr. Pavlo entered St. Basil's College Seminary in Stamford, Connecticut where he completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy. Shortly after completing his studies at St. Basil's, in May 1986, Fr. Pavlo entered the St. Sophia Seminary for Priestly Formation and began his master's studies at Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park. Before completing his master's degree in Divinity in 1991, Fr. Pavlo would take an active part in many aspects of the Ukrainian community, specifically church community. He taught religion at the Saturday School of Ukrainian Studies "Ridna Shkola", actively worked on the committee commemorating the Millennium of Ukrainian Christianity and Ukrainian Youth for Christ Conventions, as well as sang in many choirs. It was through his work at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Parish that he met his wife Christine. The couple married in May 1991.

Without a free church in Ukraine, there was great difficulty for a married man to get ordained. After a brief visit with Archbishop Volodymyr Sterniuk in Chicago, Fr. Pavlo and his wife accepted an invitation to live and work in Ukraine. Fr. Pavlo and his wife traveled to Lviv, Ukraine, in February 1992. By the grace of God and the hand of Patriarch Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky, Pavlo Denys Hayda was ordained to the holy priesthood in St. George's Cathedral on March 29, 1992. Ordination at St. George's Cathedral is not only significant for Fr. Pavlo because it is the seat of the worldwide Ukrainian Catholic Church, but also because his grandfather Jaroslav Kniahynyckyj (a descendant of St. Job of Manyava)was also ordained in St. George's Cathedral 65 years earlier by the hand of Andrej Sheptytsky.

Within days of his ordination, Fr. Pavlo was assigned to his first parish. St. Paraskevia in Kalynivka, Ukraine. This assignment was brief, for shortly before the birth of their first son Julian, Fr. Pavlo returned to Chicago. In October 1992 Fr. Pavlo was assigned to his second parish, that of St. Josaphat in Munster, Indiana, where he served the community of approximately 150 families for nearly three years.

By July 1995, change was again in the air. The day after the baptism of their second son Zachary, Fr. Pavlo and his family moved to St. Joseph Parish on the northwest side of Chicago. It is here in 2004 that the birth of twins, Elias and Dymytrij, occurred. His service at St. Joseph Parish have been very active, in particular with the re-activation of the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Youth Group the completion of the interior painting of the church and the re-painting of the domes. In addition to parish work, Fr. Pavlo has continued to work within the St. Nicholas Eparchy and community. He has worked actively to organize Eparchial Conferences, clergy retreats and has held the position of Presbyteral Council member and Consultor to the bishop. Fr. Pavlo also dedicated his Saturday mornings to teaching religion at St. Joseph Ridna Shkola.

On September 4, 2007 Fr. Pavlo was riding his bicycle eastbound in the 1900 block of East Oakton Street in Des Plaines, Illinois from dropping off his car to be repaired. At about 11 a.m. he collided with an SUV as it was exiting the driveway of an apartment complex. Fr. Pavlo Hayda was pronounced dead at 12:27 p.m. at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois

On September 7, 2007 Fr. Pavlo's body lay in state under the main dome of the Church; an estimated 4,000 people are said to have filed past his casket in that day. That night a traditional funeral Parastas was held with various dignitaries and international guests as well as an Honor Guard from The Ukrainian American Veterans, the Knights of Columbus, and Ukrainian Scouting Organization, Plast. On September 8, 2007 Divine Liturgy and Funeral were served. Fr. Pavlo was then interred at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery with military and scouting honors. Notably, a New Orleans jazz band played a traditional jazz dirge during a procession to the cemetery in the same fashion as that of a jazz funeral.