“We are creating one Ukrainian ‘globalized’ Church,” Bishop Volodymyr (Kovbych) from Brazil

“For me it matters that we are creating and that we have to create one Ukrainian ‘globalized’ church, because it is all over the world,” reported Bishop Volodymyr (Kovbych), Eparch of Kurytyba UGCC, in an interview with the Information Department of UGCC. The bishop, together with two auxiliary bishops, arrived from Brazil to participate in the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC. Bishop Volodymyr, born in South American Brazil, noted: “Our grandfathers left from here, but our roots are here. When we go to the synod, we return to our source, and it is a good opportunity to feel that we are one church, that we should think together and try to solve our different problems which, unfortunately, and plenty.” “Deep religiousness connects our people,” said the eparch of Kurytyba, answering a question about what differs and what unites the life of the church in Ukraine and Brazil. “The church is the same in its deep faith, the piety of people. I see this in us, in Brazil, and I see this here – here love, attachment of people to the church, to its traditions.” One of the differences, in the opinion of the bishop, is a language: “In Brazil our Ukrainian is old, ‘Galician,’ what our people spoke one hundred years ago. They speak this language and mix it with Portuguese.” More information about the future of the Council of the UGCC in Brazil, which will take place the next year, and also about religious life of Ukrainians in South America, about the features of local ministry and rites, will soon appear on the official site of the church in an interview of Eparch of Kurytyba of the UGCC Bishop Volodymyr (Kovbych).

Information Department of the UGCC