Volodymyr Pryima Proclaimed Patron of Laymen by UGCC Synod

The bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) proclaimed Blessed Martyr Volodymyr Pryima patron of the laymen of the UGCC and encouraged all the faithful to venerate the holy laymen of the Ukrainian Church.

Let us remind that the year 2012 has been proclaimed the Year of Laymen in the UGCC. Therefore, the members of the Synod discussed the role of laymen in the life and mission of the church,  which became the main theme of the Synod.

According to the results of the consideration of the theme, the members of the Synod passed a number of decisions to help laymen better fulfill their mission in the church.

In addition, the synod members sent a special pastoral address to the laymen of UGCC.

Background: Volodymyr Pryima died as a martyr on June 26, 1941. He served as a deacon in a church in Stradch.  On their way back home from the home of a sick woman who needed confession, Fr. Mykola Konrad and Volodymyr Pryima were captured by NKVD soldiers and were cruelly tortured to death in a forest.

The distorted bodies of the martyrs were buried at the parish cemetery.  

Fr. Mykola Konrad and Volodymyr Pryima were beatified as martyrs by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Ukraine.