Ilnytsky, Oleksander

Ilnytsky, Oleksander [Ільницький, Олександер; Il'nyc'kyj], b 30 January 1889 in Chornyi Ardiv, Ugocsa komitat, Transcarpathia, d 1947 in Tomsk, RSFSR. Canon of the Greek Catholic church and political leader in Transcarpathia. Ordained in 1914, he served in the administration of the Mukachevo eparchy and by 1930 rose to the rank of canon. He edited several religious journals: Dushpastyr (1924–33), Myssiinyi vistnyk (1931–8), and Dobryi pastyr (1932–42). Ilnytsky defended a separate Rusyns nationality, distinct from Ukrainian and Russian. Welcoming the Hungarian regime in 1939, he was appointed chief adviser to the commissioner for Subcarpathia (1939–44), chairman of the Subcarpathian Scientific Society (1942–4), and member of the upper house of the Hungarian parliament (1939–44). After Bishop Oleksander Stoika’s death in 1943, Ilnytsky became capitular vicar of the Mukachevo eparchy. In 1946 he was tried by the Soviets for collaborating with the Hungarians and found guilty of treason. He died in prison.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1988).]