Ukrainian MPs call on the President to confer the III-degree Order of Merit on Patriarch Sviatoslav of the UGCC

From the published information, it became known that the initiative was supported by the majority of MPs of Ukraine. 274 MPs of Ukraine voted "in favor", 0 against, 19 abstained, and 38 did not vote. In line with this, a favourable decision was adopted.

This is reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.

The appeal originator, MP of Ukraine Rostislav Tistyk, wrote about this on Facebook: "It is a great honor for me to be personally acquainted with His Beatitude Svyatoslav. Since the beginning of the introduction of quarantine measures in Ukraine, the head of the UGCC has taken quarantine measures very responsibly and appealed to the faithful to limit visits to churches by introducing an online broadcast of services."

In his message, he also recalled that on April 14, 2020, His Beatitude Sviatoslav created the anti-crisis center of the UGCC and offered all church facilities of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for the needs of medical workers. In particular, the patriarchal house in Lviv was transferred for the observation of health professionals.

The MP further noted that since April 15, more than 270 health professionals who treat and care for COVID-19 patients in four hospitals in Lviv have been monitored at the Patriarchal House. "Here, doctors can recover, go through rehabilitation and just relax after a difficult shift in the hospital. Also, the Patriarchal House constantly provides hot lunches to single people and low-income families in Lviv. I am grateful to the Supreme Archbishop, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the UGCC, for his big, kind heart and love for people!"- said the MP.

The III-degree Order of Merit is a state award of Ukraine for honoring outstanding achievements of citizens in the economic, scientific, socio-cultural, military, state, public and other spheres of public activity. The Order of Merit has three degrees. The highest degree of the order is the first degree. The Order of Merit is awarded to citizens of Ukraine sequentially, starting from the III degree.