In the Cathedral of God’s Providence in Chişinău [Kishinev], the first consecration of a bishop in the Byzantine Rite took place

On June 12, 2013, Bishop Joseph (Milan), head of UGCC Pastoral-Missionary Department (PMD) arrived in Moldova for a pastoral visit.  On that day Bishop Joseph met with the local Roman Catholic Bishop Antoniy (Kosheyu) and discussed various issues regarding pastoral care for Greek-Catholics in Moldova. They sketched out future directions of development and expanding services. On June 13^th, Feast of the Ascension, Bishop Joseph, with the blessings of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, consecrated Deacon Ihor Plevsky as a Bishop, who will provide pastoral care for Greek-Catholics on the territory of Moldova. It is noteworthy that this was the first UGCC consecration of a bishop in Moldova in recent times.  It is also notable that the newly-consecrated hierarch comes from the local community and received his theological education in a Greek-Catholic seminary.  The consecration took place in the Cathedral of God’s Providence with the participation of Bishop Antoniy (Koshi) and 13 priests of the Roman-Catholic Church.  During the Liturgy, seminarians from the Drohobych Spiritual Seminary sang.  In the past they have often sung Church services as well as assisted Rev. Roman Popravets in his pastoral activities. The Ukrainian delegation, headed by Bishop Joseph, included: Rev. Nikanor Loyik, Studite, superior of the monastery of St. Andriy Pecherskyi in Obukhov; Rev. Dr. Andriy Tanasiychuk, expert in Canon Law for the Patriarchal Curia; Rev. Andriy Hakh, PMD Secretary;  proto-deacon Mykhaylo Prodnus; theologian Roman Uley. Bishop Joseph also met with Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Moldova, Serhii Pyrozhkov.  The Ambassador greeted the Ukrainian Church community with “the birth” of one more priest.  Bishop Joseph thanked the Embassy for support and cooperation with UGCC.  Also, the Bishop hoped that there would be “particular support in procuring land for the church building, so that Ukrainians, united by a common idea on the religious and cultural fronts, could pray in their own church.” Then the bishop visited the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Center in Chişinău. Note:  From 450 to 550 thousand Ukrainians reside in Moldova and Transdniester .  Until now, Rev. Roman Popravka served the two communities, one in Chişinău and the other in Belz . PND InfoCenter