On September 30th, in the Vatican, Pope Francis introduced 21 new members to the College of Cardinals, including Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches. His Beatitude Sviatoslav took part in the ceremony of conferring the cardinal's dignity on the new cardinals and congratulated the head of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches.
This information was reported by the Secretariat of the Head of the UGCC in Rome.
At the beginning of the liturgy, which took place in St. Peter's Square, Cardinal-designate Robert Prevost, the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, addressed Pope Francis with words of gratitude on behalf of the newly appointed cardinals. Then Pope Francis pronounced a word in which he compared the College of Cardinals to the symphonic sound of an orchestra, where "symphony lives from the wise combination of the sounds of different instruments, each of which makes its contribution." This is why "diversity is necessary so that each sound makes its contribution to the overall musical work. And for this, mutual listening is necessary: every musician must listen to others. If someone listens only to himself, no matter how incredible his sound is, it will not be useful for the general symphony, and if one part of the orchestra does not listen to the others but plays as if it were alone." The conductor's task is to "listen to everyone" and also "to help each of the musicians and the whole orchestra to develop creative fidelity to the musical work they perform."
Pope Francis read the formula of proclamation of the new cardinals, indicating their main task - to be brave witnesses of Christ and His Gospel in Rome and in the farthest corners of the world. Then the Holy Father pronounced the names of the new cardinals and announced their appointment to the dignity of cardinal-presbyter or cardinal-deacon.
After reciting the "Creed," the new cardinals took the oath of fidelity and obedience to the Roman Pontiff. The Holy Father placed a red biretta and a cardinal's ring on the head of each of them. Each cardinal received from the hands of the Pope a bull on the assignment of the title of one of the Roman basilicas, which indicates their participation in the pastoral service of the Bishop of Rome.
After the Liturgy, there was a greeting of the new cardinals. His Beatitude Sviatoslav congratulated Cardinal Gugerotti on behalf of the Synod of Bishops, the clergy, and the faithful of the UGCC. "In your person, the Holy Father has shown special attention to the entire Christian East. To be a co-worker of the Bishop of Rome in the cardinal's dignity means to feel not only a special privilege but also the love of the Pope for those whom he has called you to serve," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav to the newly appointed Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches. The Head of the UGCC presented the cardinal with an icon of the Mother of God, glorified in the Zhovkva miraculous icon. "This icon, a copy of which is located in the Cathedral of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Rome, will remind you of the years of your ministry to the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also met with His Holiness Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and expressed gratitude to him for prayers and international support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.