His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed his sincere condolences on the occasion of the death of Bishop Milan Shashik

“With great sadness we have received the news of the premature death of His Eminence Bishop Milan Shashik, the ruling bishop of the Mukachevo Eparchy.  Personally and on behalf of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and all the faithful of our Church, we express our condolences and assurances in prayers for the newly reposed bishop,” wrote the Primate of the UGCC.

 His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that Bishop Milan will be remembered in the UGCC as someone who always visited the Synods of Bishops of our Church.  "Together with him, we sent a number of messages and appeals to Ukrainian society, especially in difficult times for our country.  I would like to note his activity in the international arena, where together we tried to be the voice of Ukraine before the world community," said the Head of the UGCC.

He assured that Bishop Milan Shashik will forever go down in the history of the Mukachevo Eparchy as a zealous archpastor who personally took care of even the smallest communities of his diocese, and a tireless builder of churches.  During his episcopal ministry in hospitable Transcarpathia, the bishop carried out a number of important social and educational projects, in particular, the construction and organizing of the educational process at the theological seminary in Uzhhorod.

 "With a word of condolence, we especially want to address the laity of the orphaned Eparchy of Mukachevo.  Together with the clergy and the monks, you are grieving now over the sudden loss of your father-bishop.  Your sorrow has a wide response in the hearts of all bishops, clergy and monks of our Church in Ukraine and around the world.  After all, we are united with you by a common destiny, a common path of martyrdom in times of communist terror, as well as a common joy of the revival of our Church in a free and independent Motherland.  We are convinced that we will be able to carry out this common vocation of the Greek Catholics of Ukraine in the future.  In sincere prayer to the merciful God, we ask for generous graces for you, so that through the sanctity of life you may bear witness to the risen Christ,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav assured.

 "We entrust the soul of the newly reposed Bishop Milan into the hands of God's infinite mercy and say with faith: ‘With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Your servant where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlasting'. May the merciful Lord, who taught us to believe in the resurrection of the dead, receive the Bishop Milan into His eternal and loving embrace. Vichnaya pamyat'! ” wrote the Head of the UGCC.

The UGCC Department for Information