Eparch of Kolomyja-Chernivtsi visited Ukrainian immigrants in Italy

From September 24 to 27 the Bishop Mykolay (Simkaylo), Eparch of Kolomyja-Chernivtsi, visited Italy, where learned about the affairs and difficulties of Ukrainian immigrants. On the his visit the bishop visited the city of Novara and met with a local bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, Renato Corti. “Missing their native land, but forced by the need to make a living, our workers are in an exhausted spiritual state, but they have the possibility to unite in this country with the spiritual Motherland – the Church,” said the hierarch from Ukraine. Bishop Mykolay thanked the Diocese of Novara for accepting priests from Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to minister Ukrainian immigrants in their diocese. During the meeting Bishop Renato noted the honesty of the Ukrainian women who take care of elderly Italians. Ukrainian women make up 90% of the immigrants that come from Ukraine One of the priests who ministers the immigrants in Italy is Fr. Yuriy Ivanyuta. He coordinates people and provides them with a spiritual guidance as well as consultations in legal questions. Bishop Mykolay together with Fr. Yuriy and Fr. Andriy Shydelk celebrated the Divine Liturgy for Ukrainians in the Saint Gaudencio Church. Bishop Mykolay together with the clergy of the Novara Diocese blessed the residence housing for the priests of the UGCC: Fr. Yuriy and Fr. Andriy. The assistance in renovating the housing for the Ukrainian priests was a display of Christian love from the side of eparch of Roman Catholic Church to their fellow believers. In Venice, the eparch met with Fr. Andriy Tanasiychuk, PhD, who is a professor in two Catholic universities of Italy.

Press-service of the Eparchy