The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) in concelebration with Greek and Roman Catholic clergy, the Ternopil-Zboriv Archeparchy of UGCC and the Ternopil Metropolitanate of UGCC were proclaimed.
The event was held in the ecumenical spirit with the participation of the clergy and hierarchs from Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, USA and the Vatican, including Archbishop Metropolitan Mieczyslav Mokrzycki of Lviv of the Roman Catholic Church and Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson. The event was also attended by representatives of the Orthodox Churches, including Bishop Nestor (Pysyk) of Ternopil and Buchach of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate.
The proclamation of the metropolitanate took place on the patronal feast of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and on the day of the anniversary of the priestly ordination of Metropolitan Vasyl (Semeniuk) of the Ternopil Metropolitanate. Therefore, the events were held under the sign of the Virgin Mary, which fact was repeatedly mentioned by Patriarch Sviatoslav.
It was repeatedly stressed during the liturgy that the changes in the church are not only institutional.
“It is in the church where one can revive. Another very important center of the revival of the person and Ukrainian nation is opened,” said Patriarch Sviatoslav.
Metropolitan Vasyl (Semeniuk) of Ternopil explained that the activity of the metropolitanate will facilitate the improvement of the church cooperation not only at the general church level but also between the Ternopil-Zboriv Archeparchy and Buchach Eparchy of UGCC, which are now united under one jurisdiction.
“I encourage everyone to pray zealously for the good work of the newly established metropolitanates and fulfillment of dreams of our fellow-countryman Patriarch Josyf. To ensure that the success of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church should be crowned with the recognition of the patriarchate,” said the metropolitan.