“You are a spiritual gift of Ukraine to Slovakia”: Head of the UGCC to Metropolitan Jonah Maksim
Your Grace, Archbishop! You are a spiritual gift of Ukraine to Slovakia, a spiritual gift of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to the Greek Catholics of Slovakia, and a spiritual gift of the Holy Dormition Univ Lavra for the Archeparchy of Prešov. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the UGCC, addressed the newly consecrated Archbishop and Metropolitan of Prešov, Jonah Maksim, during his episcopal consecration in Prešov on January 27, 2024.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulates the newly consecrated Bishop Jonah Maksim, photo: Prešov Archdiocese
The Primate emphasized the significant presence of a large delegation, including bishops and Ukrainian monastics, at the episcopal consecration of the Metropolitan of Prešov in Slovakia. Notably, bishops from Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytsky, as well as all the dioceses of western Ukraine led by Metropolitan Ihor Vozniak of Lviv, were in attendance. Additionally, bishops from the Chicago and Paris dioceses, along with all the bishops from Poland, participated in the event.
In his welcoming speech, His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that the Lord calls Bishop Jonah to be a sign, symbol, and minister of reconciliation, a symbol of unity among the divided and a remedy for healing the wounds of the injured.
“I thank you for your many years of service in Ukraine, especially for our work together when you served as hegumen of the Holy Dormition Univ Lavra,” the Head of the UGCC addressed Bishop Jonah.
The Patriarch recalled how, before the full-scale war, Fr. Jonah held a retreat for the Roman and Greek Catholic bishops of Ukraine, explaining the phrase from the Psalm about ‘humiliation’ [уничиженіє — Ed:] “We did not know that in just a few days we would experience this ‘humiliation’ as bishops, as the Church, as a people. Now the time of ‘humiliation’ has come for you.”
Moreover, His Beatitude Sviatoslav addressed the new Head of the Greek Catholic Church in Slovakia with a request to take care of the numerous Ukrainian refugees in this country: “Today, under your pastoral care and that of your fellow bishops in Slovakia, there are thousands of Ukrainian refugees who came here because of the scourge of war in Ukraine. Take care of them! And their mother Church, with your help and your fellow bishops’ help, is always ready to serve them together with you!”
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. May the Lord God send laborers to His harvest. Many and blessed years, Your Eminence, Metropolitan!” the Father and Head of the UGCC wished Metropolitan of Prešov.
The UGCC Department for Information
