Bishop Hlib (Lonchyna) about the Byzantine Spiritual Center in Salzburg

"The Byzantine Spiritual Center in Salzburg enables other Christians to become more deeply acquainted with our spirituality, ceremonies, and customs. Its task is to give the Churches of the West, and especially the people of Salzburg, the possibility to participate actively and share in the riches of Byzantine spirituality. The activity of the center certainly aids deeper understanding and also friendliness between East and West." Thus Bishop Hlib (Lonchyna), curial bishop, commented for the Information Department on the importance of the opening of the Byzantine Spiritual Center in Salzburg (Austria). The center was opened and blessed on November 22, 2008, with the participation of Bishop Hlib. The center has appeared at the Ukrainian Catholic Community which gathers for divine services in the Church of Saint Mark in Salzburg. Its founder is Roman Catholic Archbishop of Salzburg Alois Kothgasser, S.D.B., with the assistance of Cardinal Christoph Shoenborn, Ordinary for the Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Austria. Fr. Nikolaj Hornykewycz , pastor of the Ukrainian Catholic community in Salzburg, has been appointed director of the center. According to Bishop Hlib, the main direction of activity of the Byzantine Spiritual Center are foremost divine services: the hours, vespers, akathists, and Liturgies are celebrated in the German language. In addition, lectures and seminars which help to better acquaint the public with Byzantine culture and spirituality will be conducted from time to time. The web-page of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in western Austria is: www.ukrainische-kirche.at.

Information Department of the UGCC