With deep sadness, we announce that, through complications of the COVID-19 Coronavirus, before his time Professor Ihor Skochylias, Doctor of History, Head of the History Department of the UCU Humanities Faculty, Head of the Center of Religious Culture, and initiator and inspirer of the Kyivan Christianity research program, has gone to His Lord.

This is an irreparable loss for all who knew Prof. Skochylias, those who worked together with him in the history archive, attended his lectures and seminars, helped in research projects, stood near him on the barricades of the Revolution of Dignity and defended the principles of a worthy life, and prayed together with him in churches and on public squares. The servant of the Lord Ihor was a man of deep faith. Today the Lord embraces him in His arms. And we believe that, after such suffering and trials, caused by this sudden illness, he has passed into the peace and joy of the One who has prepared for us what Paul the Apostle writes of in his Epistle to the Corinthians: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2:9)

Mourning for our dear colleague, we from the depth of our hearts express sincere condolences to this wife, Iryna, his daughter, Solomiya, and the whole family. We sincerely pray that the Lord fill their hearts with the blessing of the Holy Spirit and grant them the awareness that Ihor, dear to our hearts, is today with the Lord, Whom he with all his talents, energetically and with inspiration, served through his short but exceptionally fruitful earthly life.