Structure of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the Eastern Catholic Church sui iuris. It is headed by the Patriarch (or Major Archbishop). The management of the Church is carried out through three branches of government: Legislative, Executive and Judicial. The ecclesiastical body of the global Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church consists of metropolities, dioceses, and parishes in more than ten countries on four continents.
Primate
The Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych is the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. He is elected by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the UGCC. The Roman Bishop blesses the choice of the Synod.
The current Primate, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, was elected Father and Head of the UGCC in March 2011.
Legislative Branch
The Eastern Churches have a tradition of collegial leadership called the Synod, which is a gathering of all the bishops of the Church. The Synod, headed by the Patriarch (or Major Archbishop), is the highest level of Church leadership. Currently, 43 bishops participate in the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, not including retired bishops. The meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC takes place annually.
Executive Branch
The body of executive power is the Patriarchal Curia, which supports the Father and Head of the UGCC, and contributes to the implementation of his service: teaching, leading, and sanctifying the people of God. The purpose of the Patriarchal Curia is to implement the decisions of the Patriarch and the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC. Objectives of the Curia are: to serve UGCC eparchies (dioceses), coordinate initiatives, and help develop pastoral and social ministries; to develop educational programs and materials for the training of priests, nuns, and lay people; to launch pilot projects with further replication at the eparchial level.
Judiciary
The Tribunal of the UGCC is the Ordinary Tribunal of the Major Archbishop of the UGCC, formed by following the requirements of Canon 1063 § 1 of the CCEC. The UGCC formed the Tribunal on July 12, 1993, following the decree of His Beatitude Myroslav Ivan Lyubachivsky, and approved by the decree of His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar dated February 17, 2005. The jurisdiction and competence of the UGCC Tribunal are regulated by the CCEC and the Particular Law of the UGCC. The UGCC Tribunal is part of the Curia of the Major Archbishop of the UGCC (Canon 114 § 1); all its workers are directly subordinate to the Major Archbishop.
Eparchies and Exarchates
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church consists of 35 archeparchies (archdioceses), eparchies, and exarchates, both in Ukraine and outside its borders: in Western Europe, North and South America, and Australia. In addition, the Pastoral and Migration Department of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC cares for the faithful in countries with no UGCC church structures.
Parishes
More than 5.5 million faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church worldwide are united in about four thousand parishes.