In Volodymyr -Volynskyi UGCC Head blessed the cornerstone for the building of St. Josaphat Pilgrimage Center

On March 29, 2013 His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) visited princely Volodymyr-Volynskyi as part of a canonical visit to UGCC parishes of the Lutsk Exarchate.  By the Basilian St. Josaphat Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav was ceremoniously greeted by the Father Superior of the Province of Basilian Fathers of the Most Holy Redeemer in Ukraine, archmonk Panteleimon Salamakha OSBM, the superior of the church and the monastery abbot, archmonk Illia Siruk, numerous clergy and parishioners.

Representatives of the city administration also came to greet UGCC Primate.  Then the Akathist to St. Josaphat was led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav with Bishop Josaphat (Hovera), the Lutsk Exarch, as concelebrant and joined by clergy.

After the prayer service, there was a meeting of UGCC Head and Father with parishioners, after which the Primate personally blessed each one and presented them with a small icon of the Blessed Mother Oranta Agaphia as a memento.

A significant event in the life of the Volodymyr Greek-Catholics and the whole UGCC was the blessing by His Beatitude Sviatoslav of the cornerstone for the building of the St. Josaphat Pilgrimage Center. It is in this same place that there once stood the Church of the Great Martyr Parskeviya (mid-15^th century) in which took place the baptism of Saint Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk and Vitebsk, the first priest- martyr of the Uniate Church, and  a native of the city of Volodymyr-Volynskyi.

A press conference for local reporters was held in the Basilian monastery with His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Bishop Josaphat, and  Abbot  Illia.

A significant part of the visit of UGCC Primate was a visit to the ancient cathedral of the Volodymyr bishops ---the Sviato Uspenska Cathedral.  Here the Church Primate prayed at the miraculous Crucifix from the 16^th century, in front of which in the Church of St. Paraskeviya, in his time prayed the Priest Martyr Josaphat, whose heart was warmed by a spark from the Crucified Savior.

Church Primate also visited the Sviato Uspensky Zymensky monastery and prayed at the ancient miraculous icon of the Blessed Mother.

The visit of His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) ended with a reception at St. Josaphat Monastery.

Information provided by Stanislav Voloshchenko