43. While cursorily and briefly recalling the flourishing state of the Ruthenian Church, we cannot pass over in silence the
illustrious metropolitan Andrew Szepticky. For nearly forty-five years he
labored with tireless assiduity, making himself most acceptable to his flock on
more than one account besides what concerned their spiritual profit. In the
course of his episcopate a theological society was founded to encourage the
clergy in a deeper and more fruitful study of the sacred science; an
ecclesiastical academy was erected in Lvov in which Ruthenian youths of
superior intellectual gifts could apply themselves to philosophy, theology and
other higher studies in the manner customary in universities; every kind of
literary production, books, newspapers and reviews, greatly increased and won a
good reputation even among foreign nations. Besides all this, sacred art was
cultivated in accordance with the tradition of the nation and its particular
genius; a museum and other homes of art were equipped with outstanding works of
antiquity, and finally, a number of institutions were begun and developed to
meet the needs of the poorer classes of citizens and to assist the indigent.
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