Head of UGCC to seminarians in Eichstätt: ‘I want you to be good shepherds’

During his visit to Germany, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Church Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), on February 13-14, visited the city Eichstätt. The purpose of his visit was to get closer acquainted with the only in Catholic university in Germany (KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt) and the Oriental College (Collegium Orientale). The head of the UGCC was accompanied by Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians in Germany and Scandinavia Bishop Petro (Kryk). First of all, the UGCC head met with Bishop of Eichstätt Gregor Maria Hanke. The hierarchs talked about closer cooperation between the two churches. Bishop Hanke expressed his “great joy” in welcoming His Beatitude Sviatoslav: “Eichstätt is always open to you! Feel at home!” In addition, he called the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church a “foundation” on which they want “to build bridges.” Bishop Eichstätt stressed the importance of the existence and meaning of the Oriental College Orientale in his diocese, because many Greek Catholic students study and obtain a theology education in it: “I am only the bishop in Germany who has two seminaries: a Latin one and an Eastern one.” In gratitude for the hospitality, His Beatitude Sviatoslav gave Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke an icon of Christ the Teacher. The meeting was also attended by the President of Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt Prof. Fr. Richard Schenk and many other professors and teachers of the institution. Therefore, the head of the UGCC had the opportunity to learn about the experience of the theologian students from the UGCC. Patriarch Sviatoslav paid particular attention to the Oriental College. The Primate of the UGCC on behalf of all students greeted the rector Msgr. Paul Schmidt. Msgr. Paul Schmidt expressed great joy and honor in welcoming in the walls of the Oriental College His Beatitude Sviatoslav. After the welcome speech and a short prayer in the college Chapel of the Holy Spirit, the Primate of the church met with students of the college. It should be noted that since the college is ecumenical in nature, it has students from various Eastern Churches. In addition students from the UGCC, who constitute the majority in college, there are students from the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy and Syro-Malankara, Slovak Greek Catholic, Georgian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox (Moscow Patriarchate) and Roman Catholic Churches. Patriarch Sviatoslav spoke “very warmly” to the students, and on February 14, the Day St. Cyril, Equal to the Apostles, teacher of the Slavs, he celebrated for them a Hierarchical Liturgy. After the service, His Beatitude Sviatoslav had breakfast with the college’s students and all the faithful who attended the service, and briefly engaged in conversation with them.  

UGCC Information Department