UGCC head in Poland: ‘We are able to feel the unity and thus the greatness of our martyr Church, which is scattered in different countries, cultures, and which preaches in different languages’

"This day for me is very moving, because together we are able to feel the unity and thus the greatness of our martyr Church, which is scattered in different countries, cultures, and which preaches in different languages. Yet it remains the Ukrainian heir of the sacraments of the Baptism of St. Volodymyr, " His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), head of the UGCC, said in his sermon during the Divine Liturgy at the Greek Catholic parish of Legnica, Poland, on May 26, 2012. Bishops from Europe and the USA as well as about thirty Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic priests concelebrated the Liturgy with the Primate. About a thousand believers from all over Poland attended the service. "The tragedy of the deportation of Ukrainians to Poland is a painful scar on the body of our people. Those people who were forced to leave their homes, their motherland, perhaps as never before felt like orphans in the new lands. They started to look for their Church, nestle in it, to see in it the source of the Holy Spirit, and extracting from it a new life "- he explained. In his view, the geography of the UGCC over the past two centuries has been "written by the laity." After all, where "our people were led by the Lord, there was born and resonated the Word of God of the UGCC." "With our presence here, along with the bishops from all over Ukraine and the world, we want you to feel we will not leave you as orphans. We remember you and pray for you," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav. He also addressed the young people, remembering that in the history of the faithful in Legnica, there was a youth center, where "around this school was hidden our present and future." "From this school came 10 priests, 3 sisters and many scholars and artists who are now developing the community and are involved in the development of the Polish state.” Welcoming the UGCC head, the Greek Catholic youth in Poland turned to him with a request to "open for them the source of hope." Before the Liturgy, the UGCC head met with clergy to focus their attention on the development strategy of the UGCC for the period until 2020. He believes that these strategies are directed to reconstruct the religious life in the parish in Ukraine and abroad. In addition, he visited the parish communities of Lubin and Zaminetsi.

UGCC Information Department