Notes from new UGCC primate's visit to Rome

(UGCC) - On the third day of staying in Rome of the UGCC Synod of Bishops’ delegation, headed by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, there were held a number of important meetings. In the morning the Ukrainian Bishops were received by Archbishop Nicola Eterovich – Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, former Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine. During the conversation the Bishops exchanged their ideas as to the current socio-political and religious situation in Ukraine, the tasks facing the UGCC on the present stage of its development and common projects to be implemented in the nearest future, in particular a presentation at the end of June this year of the Ukrainian translation of Post-Synodal Exhortation of Benedict XVI “Verbum Domini”. Archbishop Eterovich appraised highly the participation of the UGCC representatives at the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, and thanked His Beatitude Lubomyr for his appeal for prayer for the Christians in the Middle East. “I left in Ukraine a piece of my heart”, - said at the end of the meeting Archbishop Nicola and presented each member of the delegation with a copy of Papal document “Verbum Domini”.

The second meeting took place in the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, which His Beatitude Sviatoslav called “our home in Rome”. The delegation of the UGCC Bishops was received by Prefect of the Congregation His Em. Card. Sandri with his collaborators. In his address to the Bishops, His Eminence recalled with gratitude the 11 years of the ministry of His Beatitude Lubomyr, assuring him of his prayers. Card. Sandri also emphasized the importance of Evangelization and the need to take care of good priestly formation. “A priest should not only be marked by excellent education, but he also should be a moral authority for his parishioners providing them with a good example of Christian life”. For his part, the Head of the UGCC thanked the Congregation for its great support revealed in “ordinary and extraordinary aspects” of the Church’s life in Ukraine and abroad. His Beatitude Sviatoslav also expressed his confidence in the possibility of finding support, counsel and help from the Head of the Congregation in fulfilling the tasks facing the UGCC at present. At the end of the meeting the Head of the UGCC invited the Prefect of the Congregation to take part in the Divine Liturgy in St. Sophia’s cathedral on Sunday 3 April. This invitation was gladly accepted by the Cardinal.

After that there was a meeting at the Secretariat of State of the Holy See where the Head of the UGCC and accompanying him Bishops were received by the Secretary of State His Em. Card. Tarcisio Bertone. The Secretary of State emphasized the importance of cooperation of the Catholics of Eastern and Western traditions in Ukraine in order to give a joint witness of the Gospel in modern world. The Cardinal also paid attention to the necessity of deepening ecumenical dialogue among Christians in Ukraine. His Beatitude Sviatoslav presented his ministry’s key guidelines and expressed his willingness to cooperate with corresponding Holy See structures for the sake of spreading the Kingdom of God in Europe and on other continents where there are UGCC structures.

At the end of the day the members of the UGCC delegation visited General House of Sister of St. Basil the Great and General House of the Basilian Fathers. They also took part in Vespers celebrated in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace. It should also be noted that the visit to the Vatican along with various official meetings was filled with Divine services and other spiritual moments which made of it a real pilgrimage to the Eternal City. Thus on Wednesday, the first day of the visit, His Beatitude Sviatoslav together with other Bishops prayed on the tomb of St. Josaphat in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the relics of the Prince of the Apostles himself and on the tomb of Servant of God John Paul II. On Wednesday afternoon His Beatitude Sviatoslav served a Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the Ukrainian church of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus. On Sunday a solemn Divine Liturgy is to be celebrate in St. Sophia’s cathedral.