Tributes are been paid following the deaths of two prominent clergymen who between them served the Bradford district for almost three quarters of a century.

The Very Reverend Protopresviter Michajlo Hutorny, 89, of Great Horton, served the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for 49 years.

And Father Jeremiah Murphy, 76, was a priest for 25 years at St Patrick’s Parish, Bradford.

Mr Hutorny arrived in the UK in the late 1940s to work on a farm in Derbyshire.

He moved to Bradford in 1950 and was ordained in April 1959.

He moved to the church in Stony Lane, Eccleshill in 1964.

He survived the famine of Holodomor which he spoke about in 2008 during the 75th anniversary commemoration held at Westminster Central Hall in London.

All through his time as a priest he also worked as a weaver until he retired in 1989.

He continued to serve as parish priest until his death. In later years he was assisted by visiting priests.

His son Wasyl Hutorny, 60, said: “In addition to his work at the church and in the community he was a loving husband to Natalia, 82, for more than 61 years, a dear father to myself, Nina, 57 and Vera, 51, and a loving grandfather to seven and great grandfather of eight, and we will be greatly missed by his family and the wider community.”

His funeral service will be held at The Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Thursday at 10am followed by interment at North Bierley Cemetery.

Fr Murphy had been parish priest of St. Patrick's Parish from 1984 until his retirement in 2009.

During his retirement he was cared for by The Little Sisters of the Poor at St Joseph's Home in Leeds.

Fr Murphy was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1936 and was ordained into the priesthood in 1964.

His close friend John Murphy, who is not a relative, has known him since he was also ordained in Cork as a priest.

He said: “People used to come from far and wide to worship when he was at the church he was a very popular priest.

“He was always available for urgent calls to the Bradford Royal Infirmary Hospital if the chaplain was not available. He was a shy man privately but he had a great sense of humour.

“He served the diocese faithfully as a priest.”

Fr Murphy had two sisters, one of whom predeceased him.

He will be received into the Chapel of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Leeds on May 14 at 5pm and a requiem mass will be celebrated on May 15 at 11am. Following the mass his body will be returned to Cork on May 17.

e-mail: jessica.nightingale @telegraphandargus.co.uk