In the Church of St. Basil the Great, the Act of Naming an Archbishop took place

The Act of the Naming of an Archbishop is one of the introductory rites of the installation of an archbishop.   During this Act, the newly-named Bishop  takes an oath on the Gospel to be faithful to the Universal Archbishop, the Pope of Rome, and UGCC Head, and commits himself to fulfill all the  directives of UGCC Synod of Bishops and to be its conscientious member.

The Decree of the Election was read by Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh), Secretary of UGCC Synod of Bishops. 

UGCC Father and Head, His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) noted that the Kyiv community will always remember Bishop Vasyl as a good pastor.  “Over the last half a year, this House of God (Church of Saint Basil the Great) has done so much for God’s people in our country -- how many wounded were treated and saved here, how many people had their wounded human souls treated here!  Therefore, here publically in front of the whole parish community, I want to sincerely thank you,” addressed the Archbishop the newly-appointed bishop Vasyl.

UGCC Prelate stated that, besides this, Bishop Vasyl fulfilled the role of a sinkel in matters of monasteries here in Kyiv.  Our monks, who here in Kyiv have their roots, under your leadership really grouped together and grew,” noted the Head of the Church.

“Now the Church sends you to Slobozhanshchyna region where there will also be an enormous amount of work.  It is a city of a million inhabitants, in which reside tens of thousands of our students,” noted UGCC Prelate.

In thanking you for your service, said His Beatitude Sviatoslav,  we also thank you that today publically in front of people you said YES to God and the Church to the new calling which is not easy, is not simple, especially given  today’s new situation in which Slobozhanshchyna and all of Eastern Ukraine find themselves.

“May Almighty God also bless you there, so that you will be a good father to all your spiritual children, whom He will also grant you there,” wished the Head of the Church to Bishop-Nominee Vasyl.

Participating in the Act of Naming an Archbishop were Archbishop Emeritus His Beatitude Lubomyr (Husar), Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh), Bishop Yosyf Milian, Bishop Venedykt (Aleksiychuk), Bishop Stepan (Meniok), and Bishop Vasyl (Medwit).

Also the celebration was attended by representatives of all the monasteries of Saint Basil the Great in Ukraine.

We remind all that on May 21^st, the day of St. John the Theologian, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, the consecration of bishop – nominee Vasyl (Tuchapets) as Archbishop will take place.  The main consecrator will be Father and Head of UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), and con-consecrators will be Bishop Vasyl (Medwit), Bishop-Emeritus of the Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate, and Bishop Stepan (Meniok), Exarch of Donetsk. The Divine Liturgy will begin at 11:00.

As we had reported, on Wednesday,  April 2, 2014, it was announced in the Vatican that the Holy Father, in considering the decisions of UGCC Synod of Bishops about the division of UGCC Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate,  approved the canonical selection by the Synod of Bishops, approved the selection of Rev. Vasyl Tuchanets, until now the superior of the Monastery of St. Basil the Great in Kyiv and the provincial vicar, as a bishop and  naming him the Exarchate of Kharkiv.  The new bishop was given a titular chair in Chenturiones.

The Kharkiv ruling archbishopric exarchate was created through its separation from the present UGCC Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate.  It includes the territory of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions, with the main seat in Kharkiv.  Now the Donetsk Exarchate includes: Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Luhansk regions.  Bishop Stepan (Meniok) is the Exarch of Donetsk.

UGCC Department of Information