“The Holy Scriptures are now closer to us, and we too have the chance to become closer to God’s Word,” says His Beatitude Sviatoslav
On January 15, the Patriarchal Center of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Kyiv hosted the presentation of the first complete Ukrainian edition of the Jerusalem Bible, one of the most authoritative Catholic editions of the Holy Scriptures in the world. The event was attended by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. According to him, the publication of this translation marks a new stage in the history of reading and understanding the Word of God in the Ukrainian Church and culture.
The Ukrainian Jerusalem Bible combines the texts of the Old and New Testaments translated by Father Ivan Khomenko with extensive scientific and critical apparatus: commentaries, notes, parallel passages, chronological and genealogical tables, maps, reference materials, and an alphabetical index. The text of the previous edition of 2009 (New Testament and Psalms) was used as a basis, with the necessary corrections and additions.
Addressing those present, His Beatitude Sviatoslav highlighted the symbolism of this event in the context of the war and trials that the capital is currently experiencing. He noted that, despite missile and drone attacks, lack of heat and light, it is the word of God that can enlighten and warm human hearts.
“The Holy Scriptures have become closer to us, and we have the opportunity to become closer to the Word of God,” emphasized the Father and Head of the UGCC.
Speaking about the Jerusalem Bible itself, the Head of the UGCC noted that this is not a new translation of the biblical text, but the fruit of the extensive scientific work of the Jerusalem Catholic Biblical School. “This is a gift from the French Biblical and Archaeological School in Jerusalem, founded by Father Lagrange, a critical edition of the Holy Scriptures, which is the result of the modern development of biblical science in the Catholic Church,” said the Head of the Church.
This scientific apparatus, according to him, made the Jerusalem Bible the basic textbook for studying the Holy Scriptures in Roman universities and theological schools in Europe.
The Primate also pointed out that the Ukrainian Church had long needed such a publication in its native language. The first step was the publication of the New Testament of the Jerusalem Bible in 2009, initiated by the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission. “Since then, we have felt an increasingly acute need for a complete edition with such a critical apparatus. And finally, that day has come.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that currently, the only universally recognized Ukrainian-language biblical text in the Church remains the translation by Fr. Ivan Khomenko, which is the benchmark and standard. At the same time, the Jerusalem Bible presented here became his first critical scientific interpretation. According to the Head of the UGCC, the comments and notes provide a deep analysis of the text, taking into account the Septuagint (a collection of Old Testament translations into ancient Greek), the Masoretic text, and other translation traditions, which opens up new opportunities for theological and biblical studies.
The Primate separately thanked the Dominican Bible School, Ukrainian biblical scholars and translators, as well as everyone who contributed to the project. The Ukrainian edition was initiated by Sister Louise Tsupa, SSMI, and the further work and completion of the project was carried out by the head of the publishing group, Nazar Duda. The first stage of theological editing was coordinated by Fr. Taras Barchevsky, and the general theological editing in the second stage was conducted by Fr. Volodymyr Kusnezh, Fr. Roman Laba, and Dr. Pavlo Smuk. Considerable support was also provided by the hierarchs of the UGCC, in particular Bishop David Motiuk and Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski.
The Primate is convinced that this edition will become an invaluable resource for bishops, priests, consecrated persons, catechists, theologians, teachers, and students, as well as for anyone who desires to gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures. He noted that he himself already uses this text and feels how the scientific and critical apparatus helps him to read the Word of God with new interest every day.
In conclusion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed his hope that the Jerusalem Bible would find its readers and become a source of renewal for the biblical apostolate in the Church. “May the Word of God, living and active, yield fruit in our spiritual, intellectual, and ecclesial life—even in times of war,” said the Head of the Church.
The UGCC Department for Information
