Patriarch Sviatoslav Is on Pastoral Visit to Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate of UGCC

Patriarch Sviatoslav of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is visiting the city of Donetsk to mark the ten year anniversary of the establishment of the Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate of the UGCC. On May 13, Patriarch Sviatoslav led a liturgy in the Cathedral of the Holy Intercession.

The liturgy was attended by the bishops of the UGCC and approximately five hundred lay people, including representatives of mass media, Ukrainian Cossacks, deputies of the regional council, etc.

In his sermon, the Primate thanked everyone who started the service in Donetsk. He stressed that “a fruit has been yielded in the ten years: the eparchial structures have been developed, the parishes are alive and developing.” The head of the church was especially attentive to the young people who were many at the liturgy.

In the Kuibyshev House of Culture, a celebratory academy was held on the occasion of the anniversary. In particular, the participants watched the first interview of Bishop Stepa (Maniok) where he noted that the lack of church buildings is a specificity of the service in this region of Ukraine.

Today, the Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate includes 80 parishes with 70 priests, the Information Department of the UGCC reported.