“If a Priest Is Not Equipped with Knowledge, How Can He Comfort Someone?”: The Furman Family on Two Generations of Service and Lifelong Learning

Three members of one family attended the training together. Archpriest Vasyl Furman and his wife Maria, traveled from Volyn, while their son, Father Nazariy, came from the Kyiv region. Father Vasyl serves in three parishes in the Kovel district; Father Nazariy is the rector of St. George the Victorious Church in the village of Kotsiubynske. Both also teach in schools — Father Vasyl teaches Christian Ethics, while Father Nazariy teaches history.

All three say they attended the training for the same reason: the realities of wartime ministry leave no alternative.

“I Knew at Five Years Old That I Wanted to Be a Priest”

Father Vasyl Furman grew up in the Ternopil region. Faith was a natural part of family life, and from an early age he attended church with his parents.

“The desire to become a priest came when I was about five years old,” he recalls. “I remember being fascinated by the large liturgical books in the choir loft—they seemed full of wisdom and knowledge.”

After finishing school, there was little doubt about his future path. Although he initially dreamed of studying at the Kyiv Theological Seminary and Academy, he entered the Volyn Theological Seminary in 1998.

Even during his studies, he actively participated in missionary work, visiting hospitals, orphanages, and kindergartens. Later he married, was ordained, and became the rector of several parishes in the Kovel region.

In 2004, he enrolled at Ostroh National University, where he studied Religious Studies and Philosophy. For the past 19 years, he has taught Christian Ethics to schoolchildren. In 2025, he also completed a Clinical Pastoral Care program at the Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy.

Today, Father Vasyl serves three parish communities in Volyn.

“Being a Priest’s Wife Is a Great Blessing”

Maria Furman says she dreamed of becoming a priest’s wife from an early age.

“I come from the Ternopil region — a place where faith has always held a special place in people’s lives. Since childhood, I have admired devout families and sincerely hoped to one day serve God and people alongside my husband.”

Over the years, she became deeply involved in parish life, supporting her husband’s ministry and singing in the church choir.

“For me, it is not simply singing. It is an opportunity to glorify God and serve our community with the gifts He has given me.”

Together, they raised their children in the life of the Church.

“Our church became our home. We sincerely love our parish and value every person who is part of it. We pray together, support one another, and grow in faith together. Over the years, I have become even more convinced that being a priest’s wife is a great blessing.”

“You’re a Furman — You Should Be First”

Their eldest son, Father Nazariy, jokes that he has been a priest since the age of four.

As a young man, he faced a difficult choice between theology and history — his two greatest interests. He ultimately pursued both. After scoring highly on his university entrance exams, he enrolled in two institutions, following his father’s advice.

“Father always set high standards,” he recalls. “He used to tell me: ‘You’re a Furman — you should be first.’”

Father Nazariy earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. While studying, he served for four years at the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Kyiv’s Podil district. During his fourth year, he married and was later ordained to the priesthood.

Today he serves as rector of St. George the Victorious Parish in Kotsiubynske while completing a master’s degree and teaching history.

“I was assigned some of the most challenging classes,” he says with a smile. “But I’ve already grown to love them.”

His students often stop him in the hallways to talk.

“Christ said, ‘I no longer call you servants, but friends.’ We try to put those words into practice. Learning is easier when there is trust. The old Soviet approach — ‘I’m the boss and everyone obeys’ — should no longer exist.”

More Than Knowledge — A Community

The Furmans learned about the training through social media and decided to attend because they increasingly encounter people carrying deep emotional wounds caused by the war.

“The war has left profound scars on many people,” says Maria. “We meet wives who have lost husbands, children who have lost parents, and parents grieving sons and daughters. Often, people come to church not looking for ready-made answers, but simply to be heard and supported.”

She says the training helped her better understand how to accompany people through grief, trauma, and loss.

“It reminded us that the Church is first and foremost a community of people who support one another, especially during times of hardship.”

For Father Nazariy, however, one lesson stood above all others.

“The most valuable thing here is not the knowledge — it is the relationships and the community,” he says. “Priests often live in their own small worlds: their parish, their village, their district. Without opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from one another, you can spend decades in isolation.”

Father Vasyl agrees.

“The Church needs educated clergy with broad perspectives. We should use every opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience.”

Father Nazariy adds that such gatherings often become the starting point for future cooperation.

“A huge benefit of these trainings is not only what you learn, but the connections you build. They inspire conversations, new ideas, and eventually practical cooperation and joint projects. That is exactly what the young Ukrainian Church needs today.”

“People Come to Priests Because They Trust Them”

Father Vasyl believes that the clergy’s role in wartime has become even more important.

“People have trusted priests for generations,” he says. “Even soldiers who refuse to speak with anyone else will come and share their pain, fears, and hopes.”

He recalls one serviceman telling him: “Stay here. It gives us peace of mind. You support our wives, mothers, and children. When we cannot call home for a long time, they come to you.”

“That is why knowledge matters,” Father Vasyl says. “If a priest is not equipped with knowledge, he is not equipped at all. How can he comfort someone? How can he help?”

The project “Clergy and Communities in Support of Mental Health: Innovative Support Practices During the War in Ukraine” is implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Norway (NORAD), in cooperation with the Kyiv and Lviv Orthodox Theological Academies.