About the sixty-third session of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv - Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC

The synodal meetings were attended by all the bishops of Kiev-Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC, and Bishop Milan (Shashik), the Eparch of Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy, and Nil (Lushchak), Bishop-assistant of Mukachevo Greek Catholic diocese. At the Synod of Bishops for the first time there were three nominees: Mykhaylo (Bubniy), Bishop nominated for the Exarch of Odessa and the Crimea; Vasyl’ (Tuchapets), Bishop-nominee for the Exarch in Kharkiv; Bogdan (Manyshyn), Bishop nominated for Stryi Assistant. At the beginning of Synodal meeting His Beatitude Sviatoslav wished them a blessed and successful episcopal ministry and all present members of the Synod sang "Many Years".

Before the start of the working synodal sessions before lunch on the first day there was held a seminar of preaching – proclaiming of the Good News (Kerygma), which was conducted by Father Josaphat Moshchych.

The main theme of this session of the Synod of Bishops of the Major Archbishopric was a matter of pastoral care in the conditions that happened recently in Ukraine. On the spiritual aspects of the matter reported Father Ivan Hovgera. On the psychological aspects spoke Mr. Oleh Romanchuk. On rehabilitation project under the patronage of the UGCC reported Father Andriy and Mrs. Olena Gantsyak- Kas'kiv.

 Among other topics there were discussed issues of solemn recovery of the Act of Consecrating Ukraine to the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, the need for regulation of the exorcists’ activity, the need for the Commission on the Protection of Cultural Heritage and the preparations for the priests-wide pilgrimage to Peremyshliany.

In the context of Synod document processing, the Synod considered the third reading and approved the Regulations for pastors regarding the behaviour during the election campaign, which was worked out by a working group under the leadership of Bishop Bogdan (Dzyurah), and adopted in the second reading the Regulation on the status and ministry of the ministered bishop in the Kiev- Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC, which is worked out by a working group under the leadership of His Beatitude Lyubomyr.

In addition to the above, it was considered a good preparation for the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the legalization of the UGCC in Ukraine and the program of Decade of the mission in 2014 AD of Kiev-Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC, which will be held for the first time this year.

About the activity of Major Archbishopric commissions reported Father Petro Rak, the Head of the church commissions and about the activity of Mission «Postulation centre of beatification» and canonization of saints UGCC - its chairman, Father Polikarp Martselyuk.

The sixty- fourth Session of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Galician Major Archbishopric of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was decided to hold in June 2014 AD.

Secretariat of the Bishops Synod

Kyiv-Galician Major Archbishop of the UGCC