Pastoral visit of His Beatitude Sviatoslav to Argentina

On 8 April at 7.30 am local time His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) arrived for a pastoral visit to Buenos Aires. At the Ezeiza airport, His Beatitude was met by: Bishop emeritus of the Eparchy of the Protection of the Blessed Mary in Buenos Aires, Most Rev. Mykhail  (Mykytsei), the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Argentine Republic, Mr. Oleksandr Taranenko, Eparchy’s Administrator Rev. Luis Hlynka. He was also greeted by various religious and clergy people, seminarians, representatives of state and cultural-educational organizations, as well as lay people. On Saturday 9 April at 18:00, an Akathistos to the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be celebrated in the eparchial cathedral of the Protection of the Blessed Mary in Buenos Aires. It will be presided by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, after which there will be a meeting-conference of His Beatitude with the eparchy’s faithful followed by reception.   On Sunday 10 April there will be a pilgrimage of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic faithful to the pilgrimage place of “Virgen de Lujan”´s Sanctuary (city Luján in Buenos Aires province). At 11:00 in the National Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy presided by His Beatitude Sviatoslav will begin. His Beatitude will be celebrating along with clergy, religious and UGCC faithful in Argentina. After the Liturgy there will be a thanksgiving Moleben (service of intercession) to the Mother of God in the crypt of the National Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. This will mark the 50^th anniversary of consecration of the foundation stone of the cathedral of the Protection of the Blessed Mary in Buenos Aires.   The departure of His Beatitude Sviatoslav from Argentina is scheduled for 14 April. During his stay in Argentina, His Beatitude Sviatoslav will be accompanied by the Eparchy’s Administrator Rev. Luis Hlynka. He was chosen to the office of Administrator by the majority of votes of Eparchy’s advisors, according to the canon 221 of the Code of Canons of Eastern Churches.   

UGCC Information Department