Bishop Bohdan Dziurakh: Establishment of metropolitanates indicates development and maturity of UGCC

The Secretary of the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Auxiliary Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) of Kyiv and Vyshhorod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church commented on the establishment of three new metropolitanates in Ukraine.

"The establishment of the metropolitanates is an indication of the development of our church in Ukraine and its maturity. The structure of the metropolitanate will help its head to provide pastoral care and to coordinate pastoral efforts in individual regions more effectively, especially as there are different challenges faced by our church. We hope that the metropolitan will gather his bishops more often and will fulfill the objectives of the  church at the regional level by joint efforts," said the bishop.

In answer to the question if the establishment of new metropolitanates is an important step toward the patriarchal status of the UGCC, Bishop Bohdan noted: "New metropolitanates are established, first of all, to improve the activity of our church. At the same time, one should stress that the patriarchate is not an end in itself for us. The patriarchate should serve the development of the church, ensure a more successful ministry of the church. Therefore, one should not identify the establishment of the three new metropolitanates with the proclamation of the patriarchate. A necessity has arisen for the church to better organize its structures in Ukraine. It was within the capacity of the head of UGCC and the Synod of Bishops. The head of the church did make that step and proclaimed the three new metropolitanates in Ukraine."