His Beatitude Sviatoslav Congratulates the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches on Receiving the Dignity of Cardinal
On September 30, in the Vatican, Pope Francis inducted 21 new members into the College of Cardinals, including Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head and Father of the UGCC, took part in the ceremony of conferring cardinal dignity on the new cardinals and congratulated the head of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.
The new cardinals were congratulated after the service, which took place in St. Peter’s Square.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav greeted Cardinal Gugerotti on behalf of the bishops of the Synod, clergy, and faithful of the UGCC. “In your person, the Holy Father has expressed special attention to the entire Christian East. To be an associate of the Bishop of Rome in the cardinal dignity means to recognize not only a special privilege but also the Pope’s love for those for whom he called you to serve,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav to the newly named Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. The Head of the UGCC presented the Cardinal with an icon of the Virgin Mary, glorified in the Miraculous Icon of Zhyrovichy. “This icon, a copy of which is housed in the Cathedral Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Rome, will remind you of the years of your service to the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also met with His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, and expressed his gratitude for the prayers and international support of Ukraine facing Russian aggression.
