History of the Publishing House
“Doroha Pravdy”

Key Figures, Literary Heritage, and Modern Revival

Origins of the Publishing House “Doroha Pravdy”

Ukrainian Baptists who found themselves in Germany during World War II were aware of the importance of the printed word and the spread of Christian thought in the Ukrainian language. The first publication was the magazine “Doroha Pravdy” (The Way of Truth) in 1946 in West Germany.

After the war, Ukrainians began to move to various countries, in particular North America, that is Canada and the United States. Thus, in 1947, Michael Podworniak immigrated to Canada. He was one of the founders and members of the editorial board of the magazine. The number of Ukrainian Christians in West Germany was decreasing, which was the reason for the cessation of publishing in this country.

Ukrainian Emigration and the Early Years

As Ukrainian emigration grew in the United States and Canada, believers continued publishing in these new places. Thus, in the United States, the publication of the magazine “The Messenger of Truth” resumed in 1947, which had its origins in 1927 in Galicia and Volyn.

Along with this, other magazines were published, but a gap remained in book publishing. Seeing this need, Michael Podworniak, together with Rev. John Barchuk and Rev. Zachar Reczun-Panko, organized the publishing house “Doroha Pravdy” in 1953, with the aim of “publishing spiritual literature and distributing it” (Christian Herald. November-December, 1963).

First Publications and Early Achievements

The first published book was a collection of poems and stories by Michael Podworniak “On the Path of Life” (part 2). The second book was a collection of poems by various authors titled “Promin” (Ray), which was made by Volodymyr Ostapchuk. During the first ten years of its existence, the publishing house “Doroha Pravdy” published 28 books. Some publications were translated from other languages, but the majority were works by Ukrainian Christians living in the USA and Canada.

It is worth emphasizing that the post-war wave of immigration included many bright figures who made a significant contribution to Ukrainian Christian literature.

Preserving Ukrainian Literature in Emigration

At a time when the communists were destroying churches and Christianity in Ukraine, which was part of the USSR, Ukrainians in emigration nurtured literature and made the culture of their people known in North America and around the world.

Generations of Ukrainians born in the first half of the 20th century received an appropriate school education and were raised patriotically, which encouraged them to develop and preserve the Ukrainian literary and cultural heritage even outside Ukraine. This is a good example for our contemporary wave of immigration to emulate.

25th Anniversary Celebration of “Doroha Pravdy” in Toronto (1978)

The 25th anniversary of the founding of the “Doroha Pravdy” Publishing House was marked during a special worship service at the Ukrainian Baptist Church in Toronto on November 4 and 5, 1978.

Eugene Kutsenko and conductor Andriy Tesliuk sang from the pulpit. Seated (from right) were Pastor Oleksa Harbuziuk, Pastor Dr. Ivan Kmeta-Yefymovych, and Brother Mykhailo Podvorniak — author, editor, and one of the founders of the publishing house.

Notable Authors and the “Volyn Trinity”

The publishing house has printed hundreds of thousands of books. Thanks to “Doroha Pravdy,” many authors have managed to publish their works. Among them, it is worth highlighting especially diligent and talented ones such as John Barchuk, who has published 30 books, and Michael Podworniak – 16 books plus translations. Serge Bychkowski has worked fruitfully in the musical and poetic fields, setting many songs to music and compiling several collections of songs.

Here is how Josaphat Iwaskiw wrote about them on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the publishing house “Doroha Pravdy”: “These three outstanding figures and creators of evangelical poetry, writing and music – Michael Podworniak, John Barchuk and Serge Bychkowski, can be called without exaggeration the Volyn Trinity, because these three have done the most in the field of Ukrainian literature and music” (Christian Herald. September-December, 1978).

Cultural and Historical Significance

The creation and publishing work of the Ukrainian Christian publishing house testifies to the high level of accomplishment of the diaspora in the USA and Canada. Any nation that creates a written heritage occupies a respectable place in history. A good example is the Israeli people, whose works became the basis of the Bible. Prophets and authors told through their books about God’s activity among their people and thereby prepared the coming of the Messiah for the salvation of all mankind. The apostles continued the tradition of the prophets by writing testimonies about Jesus Christ and thus spread His teachings throughout the earth.

Thanks to books, humanity preserves and transmits knowledge, thought, and history through generations. Our brothers, Ukrainians of the post-war immigration, left us a great heritage that we are proud of and that we need to continue. Books on theological, moral, historical, poetic, and narrative topics were published by the publishing house “Doroha Pravdy” (“The Way of Truth”).

Revival in the 21st Century

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many books published by the publishing house were republished in Ukraine. When the founding brothers departed to be with the Lord, the publishing house’s activities were suspended for a while. “Doroha Pravdy” (“The Way of Truth”) participated in the publication of the Ukrainian-English Bible, which was published in 2014. The printing of the “Ukrainian Study Bible” also took place with the participation of the publishing house. It is symbolic that the first copies of the “Ukrainian Study Bible” were printed on August 24, 2024, with August 24 being the Independence Day of Ukraine.

Initially, the publishing house “Doroha Pravdy” was incorporated in Canada in 1953. To continue its work, the publishing house was incorporated in the USA on February 4, 2025. Roman Kapran, Leonid Bliznyuk and Alex Kolesnik will continue the glorious legacy started by Michael Podworniak, John Barchuk and Zachar Reczun-Panko.

History of the Publishing House “Doroha Pravdy”