Pilgrimage of UGCC Delegation to Holy Land Completed

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, led a delegation of the UGCC to the Holy Land. The delegation  stayed there from April 4 to 10. The pilgrimage was organized on the occasion of the Year of Faith. The delegation visited Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jerusalem and other places.   

“Our main goal is pilgrimage. On the occasion of the Year of Faith and the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine, we decided to organize a prayer trip to the place from which the Gospel of Christ spread out all over the world,” said the primate in a commentary.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, on April 5 met in Haifa with Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The hierarchs discussed possibilities of an increase of UGCC presence in Israel. The head of UGCC and Archbishop Chacour signed an agreement as a result of the meeting.

On 6 April, Patriarch Sviatoslav and the delegation visited the Basilica of Annunciation in Nazareth. On 7 April, the hierarch led a liturgy in the Cathedral of St. Elijah in Haifa.

On 8 April, the delegation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) led by its Head, Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) held two important meetings in the Holy Land, with the Apostolic Nuncio in Israel, Giuseppe Lazzarotto and Patriarch Fouad Twal  of the Roman Catholic Church of Jerusalem and discussed with them questions of pastoral care for Greek-Catholic faithful.

The delegation also visited the Church of Jerusalem and met with Ukrainians working there. The delegation also visited the Holy Sepulchre.

In the end of the pilgrimage, the Head of UGCC led a service in the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem.