UGCC Head Proclaims New Service Book
On January 25, 2024, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, proclaimed the texts of the new Ukrainian translation of the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great and decreed to initiate the celebration of the Divine Liturgy according to this translation on March 25, 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Decree states that each liturgical reform is implemented in response to the needs of the organic development of the Church. The periodic revision of the texts used by the people of God always aims to deepen the understanding of the text of the Liturgy.
For more than ten years, theologians and liturgists have been improving the translations of the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great into modern Ukrainian. The Synods approved the work of Bishops of the UGCC in 2022 and 2023.
“Completing the procedure prescribed by law, in accordance with the norm of can. 112 of the CCEO, we, by the power vested in us, proclaim the texts of the new Ukrainian translation of the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great and decree to commence the celebration of the Divine Liturgy according to this translation on the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, March 25, 2024,” the Decree reads.
At the same time, the Head of the UGCC blessed the publication of the Service Book in Ukrainian with the above texts. “From the day the translations above come into force, all other synodal laws that contradict these texts or relate to matters fully regulated in them are abolished,” the Decree states.
Moreover, all translations of the Divine Liturgy into other languages should be adapted to the new liturgical texts.
“The people of God of our dioceses and exarchates who pray in the Ukrainian language must vigilantly and carefully adhere to the modernized translations of the Divine Liturgies, despite any obstacles, even those which deserve special mention,” the document emphasizes.
According to the Decree, the Service Book’s text will also be included in the “Herald of the Supreme Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.”
It is worth noting that the new Service Book is already being published by the Basilian Fathers’ publishing house Missionary. It will be distributed through the diocesan curia.
The UGCC Department for Information
