The visit of the members of UGCC Permanent Synod of Bishops to Kazakhstan has ended

During May 20-29 the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church visited Kazakhstan. Members of the Permanent Synod are:  His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), UGCC Head; Bishop Volodymyr (Viytyshyn), Ivano-Frankivsk Metropolitan; Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz), Sambir-Drohobych Eparch; Bishop Ken Novakivsky, New Westminster Eparch; Bishop Borys (Gudziak), Eparch of Paris Eparchy of St. Volodymyr the Great in Paris (France); and Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh), Secretary of UGCC Synod of Bishops.

On May 20^th in the morning upon arrival in Kazakhstan’s capital at Astana International Airport, the guests were greeted by Rev. Vasyl Hovera, Apostolic Delegate for the Greek-Catholics in Kazakhstan and Central Asia and Rev. Oleh Zdrenyk, dean of the local Greek-Catholic parish.  Right after arrival in Kazakhstan all the bishops went to Karaganda where the planned meeting of the Permanent Synod was to be held.  Thanks to the hospitality of the local Roman-Catholic Bishop Janusz Kaleta, the meeting was convened in the bishop’s residence near the new Cathedral, constructed last year.

In the afternoon the bishops visited Spask Memorial Cemetery, where a Panakhyda [Requiem Service] was prayed for all Ukrainians who perished in the Karlag Camps.  A symbolic event was the sudden appearance of two cranes at the end of the prayers who flew over the heads of the bishops, sounding their “kru-kru” as if carrying the prayers to God for all the victims who are resting in the large fraternal grave.

The meeting started on May 21^st.  On that day all were stunned by the sudden news from Ukraine of the premature passing of Bishop Mykola (Simkaylo), Kolomyia-Chernivtsi Eparch, born in 1952 in Kazakhstan, to parents who had been deported there. At their meeting the bishops decided that His Beatitude Sviatoslav and Metropolitan Volodymyr would interrupt their visit and  leave for Ukraine in order to head the funeral services and that the other bishops would remain in Kazakhstan in order to fulfill the planned course of the visit.

On the evening of May22nd, the meeting of the Permanent Synod ended.  His Beatitude Sviatoslav and Bishop Volodymyr went to Astana in order to catch a morning flight to Ukraine for the funeral.  Late in the evening in Astana, at the Apostolic Nunciature, His Beatitude Sviatoslav and Bishop Volodymyr were met by Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, the Apostolic Nuncio in Kazakhstan and Sisters Servants from Ukraine who serve in the Apostolic Nunciature in Astana.

On May 23^rd, the bishops who remained in Karaganda visited the old Roman-Catholic Cathedral where Oleksandr Khira, an underground Greek-Catholic Bishop from Transcarpathia had served and is buried.  The members of the Permanent Synod prayed for the glorification of this servant of God.  The bishops also visited the local Roman-Catholic Seminary in Karaganda.  They took the opportunity to visit the uncle of Bishop Mykola (Simeyko) who still resides in Karaganda) and notified him of the death of his relative and offered their sincere condolences.

On May 24^th the bishops met with priests who serve as pastors in Karaganda.  The priests described their services, achievements and problems.  The meeting had a warm pleasant atmosphere.  The bishops assured the priests that they will attempt to support UGCC mission in Kazakhstan.

After dinner, the bishops, priests and nuns visited the Museum of the Victims of Political Repressions in Dolintsi.  It is housed in the building of the former Karlag administration.  They went to Mamochkino Cemetery, where there is a symbolic monument to the Blessed Priest-Martyr Oleksiy Zarytsky, who died in 1963 in the camp in Dolintsi.  The bishops also visited the village of Karazhar on whose territory the reformatory camp existed, in which Blessed Bishop-Martyr Mykyta Budka suffered and died.

That evening there was a joint supper and a friendly meeting of our bishops with members of the Roman-Catholic Kazakhstan Bishops Conference.

On May 25^th in the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Mother in Karaganda a Pontifical Divine Liturgy, headed by Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) as a representative of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, was celebrated.  Concelebrants were other members of the Permanent Synod and all Greek-Catholic pastors of Kazakhstan. Most Reverend Bishops were met by children in native Ukrainian costumes, youth and adults, who greeted the guests with bread and salt and flowers.  Rev. Vasyl Hovera, dean of the church, greeted all the present bishops in the name of the whole community and the Greek-Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.

Roman-Catholic bishops also participated in the Liturgy.  Afterwards the bishops had a chance to talk with the parishioners, explaining the purpose of their trip and answering numerous questions.

After dinner, the bishops went to different parishes in order to lead the liturgies on Sunday.  Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) remained in Karaganda; Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz) went to Astana; Bishop Ken Novakivsky to Satpayeva and Bishop Borys (Gudziak) to Pavlodar.

On May 26^th in almost all the Greek-Catholic parishes in Kazakhstan there were Pontifical Liturgies led by members of the Permanent Synod. In Karaganda after the Liturgy, Bishop Bohdan met with young members of the Parish of the Intercession of the Blessed Mother.  During the meeting he answered their questions, described the life of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and also shared with the attendees the story of his own priestly calling.

On May 27^th all the bishops returned to Astana where they visited the Museum ALZHYR  [Alzhyr Camp of Women], located near Astana in which more than 700 Ukrainian women were  kept. That evening Bishop Bohdan returned to Ukraine.

On May 28^th, Bishops Yaroslav (Pryriz), Ken (Novakivsky), Borys (Gudziak), Rev.Vasyl Hovera and Rev.Oleh Zdrenyk visited the Embassy of Ukraine in Kazakhstan where they were received by Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the Republic of Kazakhstan  Oleh  (Oleg) Dyomin.   During the friendly conversation they discussed issues of cooperation between the Ukrainian diplomatic corps and the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.

After dinner the bishops together with Rev. Vasyl Hovera, Apostolic Nuncio in Kazakhstan and the Secretary of the Nunciature in Astana, visited Kairat Lama Sharif, Director of Agency for Religious Affairs of Kazakhstan.  The Director expressed his gratitude for the meeting and described the cooperation of the state with the Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.  Our bishops presented their reasons for visiting Kazakhstan and thanked the State of Kazakhstan for the possibility of a free existence and development of the Greek-Catholic Church in this country.

On May 29^th, Bishops Yaroslav (Pryriz) and Ken (Novakivsky) together with Rev. Vasyl Hovera visited the Ukrainian Center of Culture and Education, which is associated with the Eurasian National University in Astana. The guests were met by the staff of the center, headed by Professor Z.E. Kabyldyn.  The hosts described their activities, their plans for the coming year, and shared their scholarly publications.

After this the bishops visited a Ukrainian high school where they were met by the Director and the Vice-Director and were entertained by students who performed a Ukrainian song and dance.

In the afternoon, Bishop Borys (Gudziak) visited USA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Kenneth J. Fairfax and had the opportunity to tell him about the life and activity of the Greek-Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.

That evening the visit to Kazakhstan was concluded and the bishops started the trip home.

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UGCC Kazakhstan Press Service