Roman Catholic Church Opens Press Center in Kyiv

On March 31 Papal Nuncio Nikola Eterovic sanctified the premises of the Roman Catholic press center. The ceremony and the news conference that followed, attended, in addition to the representative of the Holy See, by Vicar General Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk and Ordinarius Bishop Jan Purwinski of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Eparchy, were dedicated to Pope John Paul II’s visit scheduled for June 23-27, 2001.

Archbishop Nikola noted that Ukraine has some five million Greek Catholics and about a million Roman Catholics who have for many years awaited the pontiff’s visit to Ukraine.

Father Weslaw Stenpen, a member of the organizing committee, informed that the Roman Pope was expected to land in Kyiv on the evening of June 23 and meet with President Leonid Kuchma, scholars, and business people at the Mariyinsky Palace.

June 24 at 9:30, he will celebrate a Latin rite mass on the premises of the Chaika aviation- sports complex near Kyiv. The next day the Pontiff will celebrate a Greek Catholic mass at 9:30, again at Chaika. Upon completion at noon, the Holy Father will meet with Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops at the nunciate.

An estimated 300,000 adherents will attend the service conducted by the Pontiff in Kyiv, said Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk. All will be free to attend the service, regardless of their religious affiliation. There will be seats reserved for the media.

A web-page will soon be open to disseminate the press center’s information about preparations for the visit, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

We express our gratitude to the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine Media Center for correcting certain inaccuracies in the Ukrainian/ Russian original and look forward to joining them in celebrating the Holy Father’s visit to Ukraine.