The Church of St. John the Baptist in Lviv is now open for Divine Services

On April 21, 2009, His Excellency Ihor (Voznyak), Archbishop of Lviv, blessed the altar of the Church of St. John the Baptist (Lviv, Uzhgorods’ka St., 1). For the first time in 70 years a Divine Service took place in the church; numerous faithful, government representatives, museum and medical workers came for the holiday. Talking to the faithful, the Archbishop in a special way thanked Academician Borys Voznytskyj, director of the Lviv Gallery of Art, because, at the initiative of Borys Hryhorovych, unique monuments of architecture, including worship buildings, were rescued. His Excellency Ihor called the faithful and all who will pray here to behave with respect for this sacred object, to take care of its proper maintenance for future generations. Fr. Zynoviy Kharkavyj initiated the process of opening the church for Divine Services. Thanks to the efforts of the pastor, from now on the church will be used as intended. «I thank the museum workers. You saved the body of this church, and we today, sanctifying it, have put a heart in it,» Fr. Zynoviy said. The Church of St. John the Baptist is located near the 1st City Hospital of Prince Lev. Now medical personnel and patients will have the opportunity to attend Divine Services and have a medical chaplain there.

Deacon Pavlo Drozdyak,
Press-secretary of the Archeparchy of Lviv