UGCC Diocese Moves to Kyiv

The hierarchs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church recently decided to move the diocese and other central bodies of the Church to Kyiv. The UGCC currently numbers over 5 million adherents in most regions of Ukraine. The decision has caused many problems, particularly financial ones. It will be necessary to erect a cathedral, the residence of the church’s head, administrative buildings, and a complex of structures serving educational and social purposes. The UGCC does not have the needed funds, so Archbishop Liubomyr requests the faithful and all people of goodwill that they render all possible assistance.

“The last decades of the twentieth century brought about great changes in the life of the Church and of our people. After many centuries Ukraine once again became an independent country and the Church in it became free. At this time, correctly described as a turning point, I address you, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, in a matter that concerns all of us... The policy of the liquidation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on the territory of Ukraine was carried out with utmost consistency, just as tsarist Russia expanded its rule, and as later did the Soviet Union. The policy of liquidating the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was implemented in the western territories of Ukraine under Soviet times. Thus, in 1946, it was liquidated in Halychyna; in 1949, in Zakarpattia.

“After long years of remaining underground, our Church in Ukraine has for more than ten years been free. Evolving in a free homeland over the past decade offers us an opportunity that quite recently no one could even dare imagine; we can return the nucleus of our Church to the capital city of Kyiv, the place of its birth whence, forced by severe circumstances, it had to leave. Some may regard this decision as motivated by utterly political or social considerations. In reality, it is aimed at linking all parts of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, since its adherents were scattered all over Ukraine by violent acts of the Soviet regime and are now embraced by our eparchies and exarchates. In addition to such inner unity, the nucleus at the capital, where all the other Churches have their centers, must facilitate better foreign contacts for our Church.

“And so I beg of you, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Beloved Sons and Daughters of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine and abroad, please help us with the erection of the patriarchal temple and eventually with the construction of the quarters of the Head of our Church in Kyiv. I address all of my beloved that reside in Ukraine, although I am aware how difficult collecting money is these days. Your sincere donations, be they a widow’s mite or a generous gift, will be that brick without which we shall never erect our cathedral.

“I address all of the beloved living in the diaspora. We must preserve the unity of the Church lest we scatter across the world and lose that spiritual wealth, which our forefathers brought from the Ukrainian land and which gives us our identity, so we can be of use and have something to share with our fellow citizens. If you desire to make a donation, please forward it through your bishop in a given eparchy within or without Ukraine, wherever you may reside.

“From the bottom of my heart I thank you in advance for your sincere contributions for the benefit of our Church and the Ukrainian people. I am praying to our Lord for Him to bestow His Grace upon you all.”