From now on, all the pastors of the UGCC have their own heavenly patron

«It is very important for us that our priests, in human culture, humaneness, learning, and ministry, are of a high quality. We try to educate our priests in such a spirit. Here it is important to have a living example of a human being, a pastor, who did not live 1000 years ago but is still fresh in human memory. Therefore, for us the memory of Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz is extraordinarily important. Foremost as an educational point of good example for all our pastors, but also important is his protection, his prayer before the Lord God for all of us priests,» said His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, commenting for the leading TV channels of Ukraine after the completion of a Divine Liturgy during which Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz was proclaimed the patron of pastors of the UGCC. The celebrations took place on April 24, 2009, on the construction site of the Patriarchal Center of the UGCC in Kyiv (Mykil'sko-Slobids’ka St.,5). Taking part in the celebrations were Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, all bishops of the UGCC from Ukraine, bishops of the RCC in Ukraine, almost 300 priests from different corners of Ukraine, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Ivan Vasyunyk, members of the diplomatic corps, and the laity. In his sermon, His Excellency Ihor (Voznyak), Archbishop of Lviv, talked about important pages in the biography of martyr Fr. Emilian. «Father Emilian Kowcz is a martyr of our days, a martyr of World War II, a universal martyr in whom everybody will find an answer to questions and an example to follow. This priest did not look for his own good, did not save his own life, but he helped prisoners to end their earthly life with dignity,» Archbishop Ihor said in particular. (The Ukrainian-language sermon of Archbishop Ihor can be heard at: www.ugcc.org.ua/fileadmin/user_upload/audio/24.04.2009.mp3) After the prayer in front of the pulpit, Bishop Bohdan (Dzyurakh), Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, proclaimed the Decree of His Beatitude Lubomyr in which Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz was proclaimed the patron of pastors of the UGCC. Then with words of encouragement the Head of the UGCC appealed to bishops, priests, deacons and seminarians. «We, if want to be good pastors, have to be ready, with the example of Blessed Emilian, fully to devote our life to the service of God and neighbor,» the Head of the UGCC said in particular. (The Ukrainian-language words of His Beatitude Lubomyr can be heard at: www.ugcc.org.ua/fileadmin/user_upload/audio/24.04.2009_2.mp3) After Liturgy the icon of Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian which now will be kept in Kyiv was blessed. Then awards named after Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian Kowcz were given to persons or groups of persons who in their life best follow the example of life of Blessed Martyr Fr. Emilian. The celebration ended with a spiritual-artistic program.

Information Department of the UGCC