His Beatitude Sviatoslav arrived in Kazakhstan to participate in the enthronement of Fr. Vasyl Hovera

On June 1, 2019, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had established an Apostolic Administration for Catholics of Byzantine rite in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, with a see in Karaganda. At the same time, he appointed fr. Vasyl Hovera, a former delegate to the faithful mentioned, as the apostolic administrator of this ecclesiastical territorial unit.

            The visit to Kazakhstan began with a reception at the Apostolic Nunciature in the capital Nur-Sultan. It was hosted by Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, apostolic nuncio to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Also, the guests of the reception were Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Bishop Jerzy Matzunewicz, Apostolic Administrator of the RCC of Uzbekistan; Fr. Anthony Korkan, Apostolic Administrator of the RCC of Kyrgyzstan; Ivan Kuleba, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Kazakhstan; Ivan Almashi, Consul of Ukraine to the Republic of Kazakhstan, and others.

            “In history, when our people, especially on this land, felt abandoned, they could trust in the Lord alone, that He would not forget them far from the motherland. And now I have remembered the moment of the calling of Moses, when he saw a bush that was burning but not consumed, and heard the Lord say, “the cry of the Israelites has reached me. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” I think we came today because the Lord heard the cry of His people: it is not about the Ukrainians, the Germans, the Poles or the Russians, but above all every nation seeking God and His truth,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav in his speech to those present and expressed his gratitude to all.

            "I think that the people who have been waiting for decades for that day will feel what the Lord has heard their crying and prayers. The Most High sends us - priests and bishops - to be with these people, to take them by the hand and to walk along the paths of earthly life. Therefore, be glory to Heavenly Father! May He be glorified through the suffering, faith, and testimony of the martyrs, confessors of Christ's faith. May His name be glorified,” said the Head of the UGCC.

            After lunch, participants of tomorrow's festivities went to Karaganda. Here, after a visit to the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Karaganda, they took part in an evening of Ukrainian song.

            It is worth noting that during the visit, His Beatitude Sviatoslav will meet with priests and sisters, as well as with Roman Catholic bishops in Karaganda and Nur Sultan. In addition, the program of the visit includes participation in the Liturgies in Roman and Greek Catholic churches. It is planned to visit Dolynka (a settlement within the Shakhty city administration of Karaganda region) to a museum of victims of political repression, as well as a visit to the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The UGCC Department for Information