Ivan Choma

Ivan Choma or Khoma (Ukrainian: Іван Хома; 27 November 1923 – 3 February 2006) was an Ukrainian Greek Catholic hierarch and ecclesiastical historian, who served in Italy. He was the titular bishop of Patara and from 22 February 1996 until his death in 3 February 2006 and the Procurator of the Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church to the Holy See.

Biography

Born in Khyriv (present day – in Staryi Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine) in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic family of Osyp, the railway worker, and Kateryna Choma in 1923. After graduation of the male gymnasium in Sambir and Przemyśl, he joined Theological Seminary in Przemyśl, but was forced to interrupt his studies by cause of the II World War and subsequently continued in the Theological Seminary in Prešov (present day Slovakia). In 1946 he emigrated to Italy and graduated Pontifical Urbaniana University.^[1] He was ordained as priest on 29 June 1949 by Bishop Ivan Buchko for the Eparchy of Przemyśl, Sambir and Sanok.^[2] He completed theological studies with Doctor of Theology degree in 1951.

Fr. Choma worked as a second personal assistant for Archbishop Ivan Buchko and from 1963 as the secretary of Cardinal Josyf Slipyj. Also he was an Editor in Chief of the principal Ukrainian scientific-theological magazine "Bohosloviye" (1960–1997).^[1]

He was consecrated to the Episcopate in April 2, 1977 in the Castel Gandolfo chapel by Major Archbishop Josyf Slipyj without papal permission (apostolic mandate) in an act which caused many irritations in the Roman Curia,^[3] He was recognised as bishop by the Holy See and appointed as the Titular Bishop of Patara in February 22, 1996.^[2]

He died in Rome in February 3, 2006.^[1]

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