His Beatitude Sviatoslav enthroned as the new head of the UGCC

On the Sunday of Veneration of the Holy Cross, 27 March, the new head of the UGCC, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk was enthroned. His Beatitude Sviatoslav was elected by the Electoral Synod of Bishops of the UGCC on 23 March and his choice was confirmed by the Holy Father on 25 March. The enthronement ceremony of the new Head of the UGCC began with the processional crossing from the the Church of the Annunciation to the main Cathedral of the Greek Catholics - the Patriarchal Sobor of the Resurrection, located on the left bank of Kyiv.

350 priests, who came to the enthronement of the new Head of the UGCC from all eparchies and exarchates of the Church, led the solemn procession followed by the Church hierarchs, Metropolitans and Bishops. About 60 Bishops from the UGCC and other Eastern Catholic Churches, representatives of the Holy See and European Bishops' Conference, hierarchs of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine and the Orthodox Churches of Kyivan tradition, members of the All-Ukrainian Council of churches and religious organizations came to participate in the enthronement ceremony. The enthronement ceremony of the new Head of the UGCC in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ began with the proclamation of the decision of the UGCC Synod of Bishops, announced by Synod’s Secretary Most Rev. Bohdan (Dzyurakh), about the election of Most Rev. Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) as the Head of the UGCC. Thus, the newly elected Head of the Church stepped on the Hierarchical Ambon, then during the proclamation of "AXIOS!", he received the insignia of the Head of the Church. An omoforion to the Primate of the Church was presented by Metropolitan of Peremyshl-Warsaw- Ivan (Martyniak), a panagia and an enkolpion  were presented by Metropolitan of Philadelphia - Stefan (Soroka), and Metropolitan of Winnipeg, Lawrence (Huculiak), presented a miter. Patriarchal rod, a symbol of acceptance of the new authority and new powers, was presented to the new Head of the Church by Archbishop of Lviv Igor (Voznyak), who until the enthronement, had acted as the UGCC Administrator.

The UGCC Primate, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, assumed his position of authority on the throne with the Prayer of Entrance, after which a combined choir of Kyiv Archeparchy performed a Prayer for the Patriarch which was originally introduced in the times of Patriarch Josyf (Slipyj). The rite of sitting on the throne, a central liturgical moment of the enthronement according to the Byzantine tradition, was performed by Metropolitan of Peremyshl-Warsaw Ivan (Martyniak), Metropolitan of Philadelphia Stefan (Soroka), Metropolitan of Winnipeg Lawrence (Huculiak), Apostolic Exarch for the Ukrainians in France, Benelux and Switzerland, Bishop Michael (Hrynchyshyn), Eparch of Sambir-Drohobych Bishop Julian (Voronovskyj), and Bishop-emeritus of Stamford Eparchy Most Rev. Basil (Losten). Once the most distinguished hierarchs of the Church put His Beatitude Sviatoslav three times on the throne the new Father and Head of the UGCC, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych, Metropolitan of Kyiv and Bishop of Kamianets-Podilsky delivered his first enthronement sermon. "Today we, the heirs of Volodymyr's baptism, experience unity and continuity with our history and tradition. We take ownership of the precious heritage of our great predecessors: the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytsky), Patriarchs Josyf, Myroslav Ivan and Lubomyr. Today these men, with the warm hand of Lubomyr, bless us and make this treasure alive, significant and enlightening for a modern Ukrainian. "Holiness of the united people of God" – this is, and this will be, the development strategy of our Church "- said His Beatitude Sviatoslav in the final part of his first patriarch's speech. He also stressed that the UGCC lives and acts as one body in the whole world, as the Church of universal responsibility. The UGCC is, and will remain, the soul of the Ukrainian people. It will always move forward to sanctify it, to open its heart to brothers and neighbors, to preserve our nation as people of God, and finally to lead it to salvation and eternal life.

Following the solemn Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, the honored guests gave a  congratulating speech for the new Head of the Church as well as for the UGCC faithful. His Beatitude Svyatoslav, in return, thanked everybody.

“Spring has come! In this Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, we can actually feel a foretaste of the Resurrection and for this reason I would like to sincerely thank all those who prayed for me and for our Church! "- addressed the new Primate of the UGCC, the faithful and all people of good will through many cameras at the end of the solemn procession in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection in Kyiv.

UGCC Information Department