Synod to elect new head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church within two months

Patriarch Lubomyr Husar announced Thursday at a press conference in Kyiv that Pope Benedict XVI has accepted his resignation from office as the major archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The 77-year-old patriarch submitted a request to the pope two years ago, reports the Information Department of the UGCC.

"As I no longer have enough strength, I would like to transfer power to my successor who will effectively continue this work. It's not my job and I am not the key. The key is the church, and the goal of our work is to serve the church, and we try to do it until we can do it effectively," said the patriarch.

After his resignation, Patriarch Lubomyr does not intend to completely abandon the life of the church and society. "I will pray for the church, think over the past, make sure nothing from the past of our church is lost. I would like to meet with young people, and with different professional groups," says His Beatitude.

Already this month, the patriarch will meet with students of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy and begin work on his second audiobook series called "Society," which will include the audiobooks "Society and Power," "Society and Business," and "Society and Law".

"According to Canon Law, until the new partiarch is elected, Bishop Ihor Voznyak will be the administrator of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Within two months the synod will elect a new head of the church," said Bohdan Dzyurakh, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops.