Bishop Sofron (Dmyterko) has passed away

Friday, 07 November 2008, 12:37

With deep regret we report that on November 5, 2008, at 5.15 in the morning, in his 92nd year of life, Bishop emeritus of the Ivano-Frankivs’k Eparchy of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Sofron (Dmyterko) passed on to eternity. His name is closely related to the underground activity and revival of the UGCC. The funeral of Bishop Sofron will take place on November 7. The funeral ceremony will be performed by His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, in concelebration with Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, and bishops and priests of the UGCC. The recently-deceased Bishop Sofron (Dmyterko), OSBM, was born on June 1, 1917, in the village of Bychkivtsi, Ternopil' Region. He obtained his secondary education in Stanislaviv. In 1932 he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Basil the Great. On May 14, 1942, in Prague he received priestly ordination (the ordaining bishop was Bishop Miklos (Dudas)). During 1944 - 1954 he was under arrest as a prisoner suffering for the underground Church. After liberation he ministered in the underground in Ivano-Frankivs’k, Kolomyja, Dolyna, Yaremcha and other cities and villages of the Lviv and Ternopil’ regions. On November 30, 1968, he received episcopal ordination (the main ordaining bishop was Bishop Ivan (Slezyuk)). In 1973 - 1975 for the second time he was imprisoned; he worked at forced labor in the Luhans’k Region. After the revival of the UGCC from 1991 to 1997 he was the Ruling Hierarch of the Ivano-Frankivs’k Eparchy of the UGCC. His Holiness John Paul II, Pope of Rome, accepted the request of Bishop Sofron (Dmyterko), OSBM, of December 22, 1997, to retire from active ministry. On November 5, 2008 at 5.15 in the morning the Most Reverend Bishop Sofron (Dmyterko) passed away to eternity. Schedule of funeral services Wednesday, November 5, 2008 A.D. 8:00 - Divine Liturgy (Memorial). 9:00 – “Panakhyda” (memorial service) transference of the body to the Monastery of Christ the King of the Basilian Fathers in the city of Ivano-Frankivs’k (Mayzli). 10:00 – Divine Liturgy (Memorial). 18:00 – Hierarchical “Parastas” service. Thursday, November 6, 2008 A.D. 10:00 – Memorial Divine Liturgy in the Monastery of Christ the King of the Basilian Fathers in the city of Ivano-Frankivs’k (Mayzli). Transference of the body to the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 18:00 – Hierarchical “Parastas” service. Friday, November 7, 2008 A.D. 12:00 – Memorial Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Hierarchical Funeral Ceremony. The funeral ceremony will be performed by His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, in concelebration with Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, and bishops and priests of the UGCC. The burial ceremonial for the deceased Bishop Sofron will take place in the crypt of the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Information Department of the UGCC