The Exhumation of Maria Fedak’s Remains
At the Bonnevoie municipal cemetery in Luxembourg, the remains of Maria Fedak—mother of Sofia Fedak-Melnyk, wife of Andriy Melnyk, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN)—were exhumed. Following the family’s wishes, Maria Fedak’s ashes will be reburied in Lviv. Previously, the remains of Andriy and Sofia Melnyk were repatriated to Ukraine, where they were laid to rest in the Ukrainian National Pantheon and the National Military Memorial Cemetery.
Maria Fedak’s Legacy
Maria Fedak was married to Lviv lawyer Stepan Fedak and raised eight children with a strong commitment to uncompromising nationalism. Her daughter Olga married Yevhen Konovalets, the founder of the OUN, while her younger daughter Sofia married Andriy Melnyk, Konovalets’ successor. During World War II, Maria Fedak emigrated with Sofia’s family to Luxembourg, where their family grave remained a site of remembrance for nearly six decades. Andriy Melnyk was interred beside Maria Fedak in 1964, with Sofia Fedak-Melnyk joining them decades later.
Bogdan Chervak, head of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, was informed about the exhumation. He remarked,
“Maria Fedak never sought the spotlight of high politics, yet fate made her family the cradle of the Ukrainian liberation movement.”He added,
“Now, Andriy Melnyk and his wife Sofia have returned home to Ukraine. Soon, as the family wished, Maria Fedak—who quietly but monumentally fulfilled her mission by raising the spouses of two national leaders—will also come back to Lviv.”
The reburial of Maria Fedak in Lviv marks a significant moment for her family and Ukrainian society at large. The Ukrainian National Pantheon serves as a memorial and cultural-historical complex dedicated to notable Ukrainians. It includes memorial installations, ceremonial spaces, and a museum area designed to honor the legacy of those who have contributed profoundly to Ukraine’s history and culture.