Patriarch Sviatoslav Considers Conclusion of Concordat Between Ukraine and Vatican Possible

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) Patriarch Sviatoslav stated during his visit to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv that the relations between the church and state can be built only on an equal footing.

“We never were a state church and we are not willing to be a tool of the authorities. Our place is in the civil society and not in the government,” said the hierarch.

The patriarch stressed that the best format of the relations between the Catholic Church and state is the concordat (agreement between the Vatican and another country):

“Most of the western countries already have such agreements signed with the Vatican. I do not know if Ukraine will reach that position. But we are making progress toward it.”

Patriarch Sviatoslav also expressed an opinion that the churches will be able to unite in Ukraine only when they become free from politics, when they are real churches and when they do not allow anyone to use them for geopolitical purposes.

“Jesus Christ founded one Church and it exists. It cannot be torn completely apart as it is disintegrated only in the human dimension. The division is a consequence of sin,” stated the head of the UGCC.

He also assured that the UGCC seeks to be first in love and called the faithful to set an example of love and unity to all people.