His Beatitude Sviatoslav Meets with Priests of the Kyiv Archeparchy
On March 13, 2025, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met in Vyshhorod with the priests of the Kyiv Archeparchy, who are currently participating in the annual retreat. The Head of the UGCC shared the Church’s plans for the year and urged the clergy to guide the faithful in experiencing the Jubilee Year more deeply. He also outlined the challenges the Church and society face in the context of war.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav focused on the Jubilee year, which is a special time of grace for the Catholic Church. He encouraged the priests who minister in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, and Cherkasy regions to help people experience this period more profoundly, because, according to him, “our people are desperate for hope.”
The UGCC Head highlighted significant anniversaries being commemorated this year: The 30th anniversary of the restoration of the structures of the Kyivan Metropolia and the 20th anniversary of the return of the seat of the Head of the UGCC to Kyiv. To mark this occasion, the Patriarch invited the priests of the Kyiv Archeparchy to participate in commemorative events, including a pilgrimage to the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on August 17.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also reminded that Metropolitan Oleksandr Drabynko of the OCU had transferred the relics of the Holy Prince Volodymyr, Equal-to-the-Apostles to the UGCC. He emphasized: “The relics cannot be collected, they must be honored. Therefore, they will be exhibited to the faithful for veneration.”
Given the challenges faced by the Ukrainian state and society, the Head of the UGCC emphasized the importance of church-state partnership and reminded the main pastoral priorities of the UGCC during the war. “The Church must be an island of stability, especially in times of change and trials,” he emphasized.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also spoke about his meeting with the Minister of National Unity of Ukraine, during which they discussed opportunities for developing cooperation between the UGCC and the newly created Ministry. He also shared his impressions of his recent visits to the United States and Canada.
In conclusion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the clergy for their service and asked for prayers for himself, the bishops, and one another.
In the second part of the meeting, the priests had a chance to ask questions of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, as well as Bishops Yosyf Milan and Andriy Khimyak, who attended the meeting, and receive answers.
The UGCC Department for Information
