His Beatitude Sviatoslav in Canada met with the community of the Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytsky) Institute of Eastern Christian Studies

Monday, 05 May 2014, 14:10

Why is my first public appearance during this visit to Canada taking place at this Institute? Because I believe that we, Eastern Christians, Catholics and Orthodox, have something healing which we can propose to the world.

See also:

Ukrainian Eparch of Edmonton: Pope's Canada visit 'chance to build brighter future'
Appeal of His Beatitude Sviatoslav to the Sons and Daughters of the Ukrainian People in Ukraine and Abroad, and to all People of Good Will
His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated Sisters of the Incarnate Word Order with on holding Cathedral Chapter

The Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, which has recommended itself well over the last 28 years, is capable of making such a proposal. I expect that shortly we will meet once again in an analogous gathering in order to examine the issues and to see how far we have moved forward in realizing this vision.

On May 2, 2014, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of UGCC, said this in his speech to the community of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies in Toronto within the context of his pastoral visit to Canada.

We add that on that day the Head of the Church visited the parish of Saint Demetrius, the Great Martyr in Toronto. Together with Bishop Stefan (Khmiliaron), Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada, and the clergy, the Head of the Church celebrated a Moleben [a prayer service of praise, petitions, and a Gospel reading], met with youth, and children from the day school which exists at the parish. He also visited the residence for elderly parishioners and the Care Center.

In the evening, His Beatitude Sviatoslav visited the Institute community. Here UGCC Head stated that it is very important to keep building not only churches, synagogues but also the “cathedrals of knowledge” in which “human minds are called upon to head towards God” (full text of speech).

He also shared his impressions of the events which happened in the period from November 2013 to February 2014 on the Maidan [Square] in Kyiv. “The Maidan of Independence became the Maidan of Human Dignity. When we stood and prayed on various maidans throughout the country, we not only turned the focus of the protests to that of human dignity, but we also noticed that the Maidan became a place of a newly-born human dignity. People related to each other with love, with empathy, with dignity. This multiplies quickly…” he said.

The Church Prelate also remarked on a significant feature of the Maidan – “ecumenism in action”: “When we prayed together in different languages and in different religious tradition, we felt the presence of God. This is not simply a naïve perception that ‘God is on our side, therefore we will succeed’. No, in this experience of the presence of God there were many more particular features,” he added.

UGCC Department of Information