Premiere of the Movie "His Beatitude" held in Two Cities in the United States

In North Port, Sunday began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at which Bishop Bohdan Danylo of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma presided and concelebrated by Fr. Vasyl Petriv, pastor of the local Ukrainian Catholic community of the Entrance of the Theotokos.

"This is a unique parish, because the average age of the parishioners is seventy. The hallmark [of this church] is that they are people who are not simply aging here until their last day, but who are actively serving their parish and community,” stated Bishop Bohdan in a statement for the UGCC Department of Information.

He noted that the example of this parish is important for all of those UGCC parishes whose parishioners’ average age is much less than North Port’s. "The parishioners in North Port take an active part in worship, organize various church and national celebrations, come together weekly to pinch pyrohy, which then are sold for the benefit of the parish, as well as serve in various other needs and projects," explained Bishop Bohdan.

It is important to emphasize here that most of those people, who participated in the Liturgy, then took part afterwards in the premiere of the documentary. In her short talk to the gathered community, Olena Moshynska, director of the film "His Beatitude," noted that the main focus audience of the film are Ukrainians in Ukraine, who either know nothing about Patriarch Josyf or only know about him from the view of Soviet propaganda. The diaspora Ukrainians, according to her words, watching this film, have an opportunity to recall their younger years as well as to see the important historical events that they witnessed.

Also on that day, in the city of Saint Petersburg, another UGCC parish community of the Parma Eparchy had the opportunity to see the film "His Beatitude." The day began with a Liturgy, which Fr. Ihor Yatsiv, Head of the Department of Information of the UGCC celebrated in the parish church of the Epiphany of Our Lord together with Fr. Roman Badiak, pastor of the parish. Afterwards, all of those, who wished, had an opportunity to see the film "His Beatitude" in the parish hall.

Note:

"His Beatitude" is the sequel to the first film “The Case of the “Ryfy,” which came out in 2017 on the occasion of the 125^th anniversary of the birth of Josyf Slipyj. The first film covers the period from 1939 to 1963 and reveals to the general public the previously unknown circumstances surrounding the arrest, imprisonment, and release of Josyf Slipyi.

Working on the films, the movie makers traveled to nine countries of the world, including Argentina, the United States, Canada, and other European states.

The work on "His Beatitude" lasted more than two years. According to the director of the film, Olena Moshynska, the movie crew has been working on the theme of the life and service of Patriarch Josyf for more than four years. The film is based entirely on interviews with people, who personally knew Patriarch Josyf.

The second film recounts the life of the Patriarch after his return to Rome from exile in 1963 until his death.

Department of Information of the UGCC