His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with representatives of local and regional governments in Khmelnytskyi

An objective of the visit was to celebrate a Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hierarchal chirotony and Bishop’s Installation Service of Ivan Kulyk for a cathedra of bishop of Kamianets - Podilskiy eparchy of the UGCC.

Throughout his visitation the Major Archbishop was accompanied by bishop Vasyl Semeniuk, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ternopil-Zboriv, bishop-auxiliary Teodor Martyniuk and Fr. Ivan Dankevych, the senior priest of the Cathedral in Khmelnytskyi.

“The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is a symbol of a steadfast spirit and belief in God. A previous century was difficult for the UGCC, nevertheless the Church remains a symbol of Ukrainian sovereignty, what we had managed to preserve due to all hardships. We have things to remember about and things to be proud of. I believe our cooperation has just begun and we will maintain it on”, said Dmytro Habinet, head of the RSA.

Head of the UGCC considers that it is important for our Church to have good connections and mutual respect with different levels of the state government, as it has always been a state one, but never governmental. And, above all, the Church had always seen spiritual leaders in the face of its priests, who could be leaders in their communities.

The spiritual leader of Greek Catholics mentioned that the UGCC has always confessed absolute truths keeping this principle contemporary. Besides, he referred to bishop Ivan Kulyniak as a model of a person who dedicated his life to vocation.

“I am a historian by occupation, so I highly appreciate things the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had been doing for our country during the hardships”, a city major of Khmelnytskyi Oleksandr Semchyshyn said. “We always get interesting and good cooperation, particularly, in a social sphere, like a charitable fund “Karitas”, which we share many successful projects with”.

“As a historian, I am pleased to hear that you understand well that our Church is in Khmelnytskyi Region is a native one. We have just begun to regenerate in your city. Left out of any exaggeration, this is truly a historical event, since it is the first time we celebrate a service of bishop’s installation in Khmelnytskyi”, claimed Head of the UGCC.

He assumes that Khmelnyttskiy is developing as a European city. “We have got different methodologies of how to transform society, how to reform structures or states, and professionals suggest to always start with a pilot project which can become a startup for proposing something to others. In Podillia this pilot project is a rejection of a European city – Khmelnytskyi. We have big plans, because the ordination of a new bishop is just a beginning”, the Archbishop is assured.

We remind that on December 11, 2015 in Vatican it was informed that Pope Francis affirmed a decision of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC to form Kamianets-Podilskyi Eparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with a center in Khmelnytskyi, separating it from Ternopil-Zboriv Archeparchy of the UGCC. Before a eparch of this territory was elected, the administrator had been Vasyl Semeniuk, archbishop and metropolitan of Ternopil-Zboriv Eparchy. The Eparchy embraces Khmelnytsyi region.

The UGCC Department for Information