Ukrainian Ambassador Visits New Westminster Cathedral
On Sunday morning, 20 July 2025, the parishioners of Holy Eucharist Cathedral in New Westminster were pleasantly surprised to have join their congregation Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada — Her Excellency Yuliya Kovaliv. The Ambassador, with her entourage and local dignitaries — including the President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Vancouver, Elvira Mruchkovska and the President and Vice-president of the Ukrainian National Federation Vancouver, Svyatoslav Lashkevych and Volodymyr Mykhalyshyn, respectively.
Bishop Michael welcomed the Ambassador, saying that her presence was not only a joy and an honour for the whole congregation, but certainly a comfort especially for the many newcomers who will be pleased to have a representative of the Government of Ukraine visit them. The Ambassador did meet with the clergy following the Divine Liturgy and then mingled and chatted with all those who came to the auditorium for post-service refreshments and fellowship.
Ambassador Yuliya Kovaliv was appointed as Ukraine’s chief diplomat to Ottawa only a month after Russia shocked the world by escalating it’s 8-year “hybrid” war with Ukraine by initiating a brutal full-scale invasion that has not let up for over three years. As hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were dying and millions being driven from their homes, Her Excellency Kovaliv played a key role in representing Ukraine’s needs to the Canadian government and people. Yesterday, while not denying Ukraine’s ongoing need for social and material support to regain peace and sovereignty, she unequivocally acknowledged the great support that Canada offered and continues to offer Ukraine and to the many refugees that fled to Canada. In her conversation with Bishop Michael, she did express her hope that the Ukrainian Community in Canada, perhaps especially the faith leadership, would continue to keep in the forefront the need for an end to the war and a just peace that would bring a stop to the horrific destruction that has been visited upon Ukraine and which continues daily to this very moment.
Ambassador Yuliya Kovaliv is nearing the end of her term of service in Canada. The Ukrainian Community on Canada’s Westcoast is grateful for the mutual collaboration that was possible over the last three and a half years for the good of Canada-Ukraine relations and for the wellbeing of newcomers who settled in the territory of our Eparchy. One gesture of acknowledgement came later in the day from the Ambassador who presented a certificate of gratitude to the Eparchy’s “Ridne Slovo” Ukrainian School that has been serving and supporting Ukrainian families in the area for over 10 years now.
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