Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Zarvanytsia: “With hope, we already experience Christ’s victory over death here on earth”
This pilgrimage, known among Ukrainians as a national pilgrimage, is a special moment of strength, because we are together, united in prayer and in the journey we have made as pilgrims to this holy place. Every time the people unite in their longing for God, they experience their internal, spiritual, undefeatable strength, which is bestowed upon human beings by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. And today we feel that we are strong because we are together. This was emphasized by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC during his sermon on Sunday, July 20, during the All-Ukrainian pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia.
The Head of the Church was joined by bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from Ukraine and around the world. About 25,000 pilgrims took part in the nationwide pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia.
In his sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav elaborated on the Gospel account of the paralytic, emphasizing that “when a person has trespassed against God, only He can forgive their sins.” The Head of the Church also mentioned the prophet Elijah, who “embodies the Old Testament aspirations of man for the one true God,” and added that “only when a person focuses all their desires in one direction can they be successful.”
“When a person does not know what they want, when they are tossed back and forth, seeking one idol after another, they become lax, weak, incapable, immobile. But the moment they unite all their aspirations around the one true God, they discover their inner strength,” explained the preacher, pointing to the virtues that a people can attain by living a righteous life.
According to him, “when a person transforms the strength of their soul into virtues, they become fiery horses that carry them from earth to heaven. Therefore, the first step for a paralytic to rise up is to turn to God and ask for forgiveness for his sins.
“If you have come here to pray for the salvation of your sons, your husbands who are at the front, for the victory of Ukraine, be sure: you are seeking God, who gives this victory. If we pray today for peace, be sure: we are seeking Christ, who is our peace.
The Lord wants to give us so much, but each of us must experience our own moment of repentance and conversion today, on this pilgrimage,” emphasized the Primate, calling on the pilgrims to proceed to confession.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav added: “First, you must empty your heart of evil, and then, be sure, God will give you more than you could have imagined. Only by uniting all our aspirations around the One, we truly become invincible.”
The Head of the Church noted that this year’s pilgrimage is special because it is a jubilee. Pope Francis called it a pilgrimage of hope. “We came here with the hope that what we ask for will be granted when we pray with faith and sincere intention,” he said.
“In early Christian art, hope was depicted as an anchor, because an anchor holds a boat in place amid the deadly waves of a stormy sea. But the Holy Fathers of the Church taught us that our anchor of hope is not cast down into the depths, but into heaven. For ours is in God. And this anchor of hope draws us to the one in whom we place all our hope. With this hope that does not disappoint, we are already here on earth, as pilgrims, experiencing Christ’s triumph over life and death,” explained the Patriarch.
The Head of the UGCC noted that this year’s pilgrimage is dedicated to three anniversaries: the 160th anniversary of the birth of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, “the most successful builder of the Church and his people of his time”; the 30th anniversary of the All-Ukrainian pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia, and the 25th anniversary of the Marian Cathedral in Zarvanytsia, “which, with its golden domes, shines like fire from the earth to the heavens before the eyes of pilgrims.”
Therefore, the Patriarch praised the Lord for allowing “the jubilee doors to be opened today in this cathedral, through which every pilgrim can receive a plenary indulgence for the Jubilee Year of Hope. Today, the word of God and the prophet Elijah tell us that the most certain way to fulfill all our desires and to reach God is through Mary.”
“We ask: Mother of God, unite us all in the aspirations of the One whom you hold in your arms, toward whom you guide pilgrims. Mother of God, Our Lady of Perpetual Help of Zarvanytsia, save the sons and daughters of Ukraine — and we will never be ashamed of our hope,” concluded His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Father and Head of the UGCC thanked everyone for participating in the pilgrimage and for their preparations.
Metropolitan Teodor Martynyuk of Ternopil-Zboriv expressed his gratitude to the Head of the UGCC and, on behalf of the mothers and wives of fallen soldiers who are undergoing rehabilitation in Zarvanytsia, presented him with a painting they had created, entitled “Angel.” In addition, the Metropolitan greeted Bishop Stefan Zekorn of the Diocese of Münster (Germany) and expressed his gratitude for bishop’s support of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian refugees, presenting him with a painting from the families of fallen soldiers.
Bishop Stefan thanked him for the gift and reassured him of his support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people. He shared his experience of working with Ukrainian women in making trench candles and presented one of them to the Head of the UGCC.
Pilgrims from Poland also arrived in Zarvanytsia, having traveled by bicycle under the slogan “From Mother to Mother in prayer for peace in Ukraine.” As a sign of gratitude and support, pilgrim Marian Plashchyk presented His Beatitude Sviatoslav with an icon painted on both sides: one side depicts the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia; the other depicts the Mother of God of Piekary.
The pilgrimage concluded with the spiritual hymn of Ukraine, “God, Great and One,” the blessing of water at the miraculous spring, and the sprinkling of the faithful.
The UGCC Department for Information
