Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok meets with UWC President Paul Grod
On March 14, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, met with the President of the Ukrainian World Congress, Mr. Paul Grod, in Melbourne. During the meeting, the participants discussed issues of current concern to Ukrainians worldwide and possible ways of cooperation.
The event was also attended by Fr. Simon Ckuj, Protosynkellos of the Melbourne Eparchy; Ms. Chrestyna Kmetj, Executive Committee Member of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations; and Ms. Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler, Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress.
During the meeting, the participants discussed current issues related to the war in Ukraine, as well as ways of cooperation between the Church and the global Ukrainian community. Mr. Paul Grod noted that approximately 30–35 million Ukrainians currently live outside of Ukraine, almost as many as inside the country. Given the significant number of Ukrainians who have been forced to leave their homeland, cooperation between the Church and Ukrainian communities is extremely important. After all, in new places of residence, the Church often plays a key role in preserving Ukrainian identity, culture, and traditions.
After the discussions, the participants visited the Cathedral Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, where they prayed together for a just peace in Ukraine. They also visited the Patriarch Josyf Slipyj Parish Hall, which houses the Ukrainian Museum of Australia, owned by the Melbourne Eparchy, and viewed the exhibits of the current exhibition Treasures of Ukraine.
At the end of the visit, Mr. Grod presented Bishop Mykola with a special gift: a candlestick made of 152 mm brass sleeves with glass inlay from a broken window in Lyman, Donetsk Oblast. Inside the glass is a fragment of a russian S-300 missile that destroyed the building. The description of the candlestick states that it is a unique piece of Ukrainian history, which is a gift of gratitude for the support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Press office of the Melbourne Eparchy
