“This shrine will serve to heal the wounds of war in various dimensions”: Head of the UGCC in the Church of St. Josaphat in Lublin
On November 16, the Church of St. Josaphat was officially handed over to the Greek Catholic parish in Lublin, Poland, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. On this occasion, and to mark the completion of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the death of the Holy Martyr Josaphat, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church presided over the Divine Liturgy in this church.
In his sermon, His Beatitude, Sviatoslav referred primarily to the life and invaluable work of St. Josaphat, who was closely associated with establishing the modern national communities of Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus in Eastern Europe. According to the Archbishop, St. Josaphat is a witness and example of the quest for unity inscribed in the identity of the mission of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Archdiocese of Lublin, and especially Metropolitan Stanislaw Budzik, who officially transferred the Church of St. Josaphat in Lublin for the pastoral needs of the Greek Catholic parish. But no less valuable are all the acts of support and solidarity with Ukraine, which is suffering from Russia’s illegal war.
“The Catholic Church in Lublin and its affiliated structures have become an evangelical example of selfless service to people doomed to oblivion and deprived of dignity,” said the Head of the Church. “It is impossible to underestimate the commitment of all Lublin communities to Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation and assistance to victims, as proven by numerous joint initiatives and projects implemented by various structures together with Ukrainian services.”
According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the trauma of the war we are enduring is a result of aggression and enmity against God and the sanctity of human life. This tragedy affects not only Europe but the entire world. Therefore, many people affected by the war are now seeking spiritual support, consolation, and meaning in their lives in church communities.
“The provision by the Archeparchy of Lublin of a convenient venue for the celebration of the Liturgy and pastoral meetings around home spirituality and culture in the city center is a manifestation of genuine Christian solidarity,” said the Head of the UGCC and added: “I am convinced that this shrine, whose patron saint is St. Josaphat, will serve to heal the wounds of war in various dimensions.”
Moreover, the Archbishop recounted that exactly one year has passed since the Redemptorist priests from Berdiansk, Ivan Levytskyi and Bohdan Geleta, were held in Russian captivity, and called for prayer for them and their release: “We pray today that where the hand of our Church cannot reach them, the hand of God’s love and His mercy will be there.”
At the end of the service, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, and Archbishop Stanislaw Budzik, Metropolitan of Lublin, solemnly signed a document on the transfer of St. Josaphat’s Church in Lublin to the Greek Catholic community for pastoral needs.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav then awarded the Metropolitan of Lublin a Patriarchal letter of commendation as a sign of gratitude for his support and solidarity. “Personally, and on behalf of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, I would like to express my gratitude for all the gifts that your Excellency so generously shares in the ministry of God and for the cooperation between the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches,” reads the letter.
The Head of the UGCC received a memorial medal from the Lublin Voivodeship Administration for his concern for deepening the Christian faith, promoting reconciliation, and strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations.
The UGCC Department for Information
