Magazine Korrespondent Ranks Influence of the Head of the UGCC

The magazine Korrespondent published a list of the most influential Ukrainians. In 53^rd place is the head of the UGCC His Beatitude Lyubomyr. Sixteen analysts in the different regions of Ukraine worked on the rating. As Korrespondent notes, the church headed by His Beatitude Lubomyr “does not attract new faithful in a way done by untraditional churches. They say, we seek out believers, but all our doors are open for all who wants to come.”  According to the statistics of the State Committee on Nationalities and Religions, according to the amount of registered communities, the UGCC is the third largest after the two biggest Orthodox churches of Ukraine – the UOC-MP and the UOC-KP. “The stereotype that the UGCC is the church of the western regions of Ukraine has not been true to fact for a long time. There parishes of that Church in the Crimea, in the east, north, and their number slowly but surely increases,” stresses Korespondent. In addition, Korrespondent names Head of the Greek Catholics “possibly, the only Ukrainian church hierarch who fully distanced himself from politics. For the unfinished Patriarchal Cathedral of UGCC in Kyiv has long been perceived as a symbol of the real independence: its head flatly refuses to accept funds for the church from politicians and rejects other proposals of 'impure' sponsorship.”   “However, the authority of Husar is high not only in the church circles. Highly educated, intellectual, wise in judgements, and extraordinarily modest in the way of life, Husar for many Ukrainians, including not Greek Catholics, became the figure of an ideal pastor who serves exceptionally God and the people,” summarises the article.

Information Department of the UGCC