Head of the UGCC Greeted Participants of a Conference on the History of the Greek Catholic Church in Volyn

On May 6-9, 2010, the Institute of Church Research, together with several educational and public organizations, will conduct an international academic conference “Ut unum sint – May They Be One.” The conference is devoted to the history of the Greek Catholic Church in Volyn. The organizers hope to better understand the multi-confessional palette of religious life in Volyn that for many decades has been silent and in which the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) in Ukraine hold important places. The organizers asked well-known researchers as well as young historians – experts of various aspects of the church’s problematics – to join in the detailed discussion of lesser-known pages from the history of religious relations. “Indisputably, it will assist in the recreation of a large-scale, true picture of the coexistence in Volyn of different church traditions and rites, which will have value in the modern state of democracy and freedom of religion,” note the organizers. “You set to review a subject that is a heavy burden in the history of two neighboring peoples: Ukrainian and Polish. The history of the tragic events that not only in the last years, but also in the last decades and centuries, took place on this blessed land. These events were not only of secular character, but also found their place in history of two national churches which coexist on this territory,” wrote Patriarch Lubomyr, the head of the UGCC, in a letter to the participants of meeting.  This conference, according to the patriarch, is significant effort in reaching “ut unum sint.” “This goal is not easy to reach. It requires not only finding the historical truth, but also its recognition,” remarked the head of the UGCC. Here he reminded the participants of the conference about the event that took place several years ago. “Five years ago in Warsaw and Lviv bishops of the Polish and Ukrainian Catholic churches publically declared: ‘Considering all that has happened between our nations, we forgive each other and ask us for forgiveness.’ Today's conference takes place on the territory of Ukraine between the sons of the same nation but divided between different national churches: Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic. These two national churches have to testify that they are the parts of one Universal Catholic Church. It is very important in attesting to Christ in the light of the post-Communist past,” wrote Patriarch Lubomyr.  The head of the UGCC shared with the participants of the conference words of gratitude: “Academic work, only true academic work, can be cherished only by people who are committed to find the truth, people like you. Therefore I cordially greet you, bow before you my head and wish you in the name of Christ the best success, because it is for the general good, for the real spiritual unity between the faithful regardless of their national or cultural belonging.”

Information Department of the UGCC