His Beatitude Sviatoslav in concelebration with the bishops of the UGCC Synod is to preside over the Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
On Sunday, September 10, at 1:30 PM Rome time, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be held at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav in concelebration with the bishops of the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. With the joint service, the UGCC bishops from around the world will wrap up the work of the Synod, which will take place in Rome this year from September 3 to 13 and mark the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Josaphat.
“For the bishops, clergy, monastics, and faithful of our Church to pray in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is a special gift from God and a sign that, united in the community of the Universal Church, we are not alone amid the horrible trials of war that have befallen upon our people. In this anniversary year of the martyrdom of our St. Josaphat, whose relics rest in this basilica, we want to ask God for a just peace for our country and to testify to the whole world the Christian values of freedom, for which we are ready to give our lives,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav in a commentary to the Information Department of the UGCC.
On this occasion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav calls on the faithful of the UGCC in Ukraine and the diaspora to unite in prayer at the Tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican. “Let our common prayer be a manifestation of communion with the Holy Father, the successor of the Apostle Peter, our gratitude for his pastoral care for the ‘suffering Ukrainian people’ and the voice of truth about Ukraine,” said the Head of the UGCC.
The UGCC Department for Information
