On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had appointed the Reverend Fr. Teodor Matsapula, I.V.E., the Ruling Bishop of the Mukachevo Diocese of the UGCC.
This was reported by Vatican News.
The diocesan seat of the Mukachevo Diocese became vacant on July 14, 2020, after the untimely death of Bishop Milan Shashik.
Curriculum vitae
Nominee Bishop Teodor was born on August 21, 1981, in Krylos, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast; studied in Italy. On October 10, 2001, he joined the Congregation of the Incarnate Word (ZVS). On August 25, 2007, he took his vows and was ordained a priest on February 10, 2008. From 2013 to 2019, he was the rector of the then Delegation of Our Lady of Zarvanytsia in Ukraine.
From 2017, he performed the duties of the syncellus in the monastic affairs of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Diocese. In 2018, he received a bachelor's degree in humanities from the Precarpathian National University, and in 2022, he received a license in pastoral theology from the Ukrainian Catholic University.
From April 4, 2008, to February 6, 2013, he was assigned to serve Greek Catholics in the Russian Federation. He served as a priest in the city of Omsk at the parish of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin and in the city of Sargatske, Omsk region. at the parish of St. Cyril and Methodius. He also served the faithful of the Greek Catholic rite in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.
From 2009 to February 2013, Bishop Yosif Wert appointed him to perform the duties of coordinator (dean) for Catholics of the Byzantine rite, the territory of the corresponding Roman Catholic diocese of St. Joseph in Irkutsk (Far East).
From February 6, 2013, he was appointed by the board of the Military Academy to serve in the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Diocese, in the village of Dubove, where until today, he was the rector of the parish of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Holy Trinity in the village. Krasna, Tyachiv district.
In June 2013, he was appointed protohegumen of the Delegation (now Province) of Our Lady of Zarvanytsia, Congregation of the Incarnate Word in Ukraine, UGCC, by the General Board of the Incarnate Word. After the end of the first term in July 2016, he was again appointed as the protohegumen of the ZVS for a second term until June 2019.
From April 13, 2017, by the appointment of Bishop Milan Shashik, he performed the duties of the syncellus in the monastic affairs of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Diocese.
In addition to his native language, the bishop also speaks Russian, Italian, Spanish, Polish and English.
The Congregation of the Incarnate Word consider this appointment historic as Msgr. Teodor Matsapula became the first priest of the ZVS the Church called to episcopal ministry.