First Kyivan seminarians of UGCC began their studies with a Divine Liturgy

The first seminarians began their school year at the Kyivan spiritual seminary of the Three Sanctifies of the UGCC with a Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated on Sunday in Kyiv, in the Church of the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God near the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. The liturgy was led by Bishop Joseph (Milyan), auxiliary bishop of Kyivan Archeparchy, in concelebration with Bishop Stephan (Meniok), Exarch of Donetsk-Kharkiv, Bishop Vasyl (Ivasyuk), Exarch of Odesa-Crimean, and Bishop Josaphat (Govera), Exarch of Lutsk, and the priest teachers of the newly created educational institution of the church.

“The basis of the formation of a priest is prayer, because each of us priests is a servant of Christ. It is the real formative process – good grades and a diploma is not enough. In an order to be a good priest, the grace and power of God is needed, and they come through prayer. Let this prayer help you become pastors,” stated Bishop Joseph. Bishop Joseph noticed that today, the day of the official opening of Kyivan Three Sanctifiers’ Seminary of the UGCC, a building of the institution in Knyazhychi, in which first fourteen seminarians of different ages and from different exarchates of eastern Ukraine will study, will be blessed. “For a long time we wanted to have a seminary in eastern Ukraine, because these boys will be educated here, will have the proper way of thinking. It is important not only to begin but also to finish the studies. Let God make sure these fourteen seminarians obtain diplomas,” said the Exarch of Donetsk-Kharkiv Bishop Stephan (Meniok). “Every seminarian is a special candle that needs to be carried through all the years of studies so that it does not go out,” said Bishop Joseph during the solemn handing of memorable “Molytvoslov” to each of the first seminarians. After the Liturgy the bishop, the members of the rectorate, and seminarians went to Knyazhychi, where the blessing of buildings of the newly created seminary took place. Blessing of the seminary carried out by the head of the UGCC Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar). We remind that the newly created intereparchial Kyivan spiritual seminary of Saints Basil the Great, George the Theologian, and John Chrisostomos was established on June 3, 2010, according to the Decree of the Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych Patriarch Lubomyr. The decision to create an intereparchial educational institution of the church in Kyiv was passed at a meeting of the head of the church Patriarch with Bishop Stephan (Meniok), Bishop Vasyl (Ivasyukom), and Bishop Josaphat (Govera), which took place on May 27 in Kyiv-Knyazhychi.

Information Department of the UGCC