State Secretary of the Holy See Cardinal Pietro Parolin has been listed among the nominees for the Distinction of the Hieromartyr Omelyan Kovch, in 2018, Radio Vatican has reported citing the Catholic Information Agency of Poland (KAI).
The other nominees for this Emblem in 2018 are: Yana Zinkevich, a volunteer doctor who personally saved over 200 wounded in the ATO for her for heroic generosity, sacrifice and courage; Brigitte Weber from Bavaria for organizing humanitarian aid for people who were affected by the hostilities in the ATO; Timothy David Snyder, an American historian and writer, specialist in the history of Eastern Europe, for the objective representation of historical issues, thus forming a positive relationship between peoples; as well as Oxana Zabuzhko, a writer, poet and essay writer.
The Distinction will be conferred by the Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Archbishop Sviatoslav together with the members of the Committee on Honoring the Blessed Hieromartyr Omelyan Kovch on January 27, 2008 in the St. Sophia Procathedral in Rome.
This is an award for contributing to interethnic, interdenominational and interreligious dialogue, the cultivation of tolerance and mutual understanding in society, the promotion of socially beneficial and charitable activities, and for the personal life example of sacrifice and humanism.
Among the laureates of the Distinction is Polish diplomat Jan Tombinski, Ambassador of the European Union to the Apostolic See, who until 2016 had headed the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, for the support of the Polish-Ukrainian dialogue and the implementation of systemic transformations in Ukraine.
Before the ceremony of presenting a figurine featuring an angel with a palm branch in hand as a symbol of victory and invulnerability, which will take place in the Greek-Catholic Cathedral of St. Sophia in Rome, a joint prayer and the concert performed by the Polish string quartet "Toccata Nova" will be held.
On Sunday, January 28, the winners of the Distinction of the Blessed Hieromartyr Omelyan Kovch will meet with the Pope Francis during his visit the Cathedral of Saint Sophia on that day and meeting with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community.