Faith – Page 2 – Royal Doors

Oct

01

2025

Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God

Faith

We sing your praises, O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of Christ our God, and we glorify your all-glorious patronage.Hymn of Praise from the Sixteenth CenturyAmong the Marian feasts listed in our Liturgical Year, the feast of the Patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God deserves special consideration. The cult of the Mother of God as the Protectress of our nation reaches like a golden thread from the times of the Kievan princes to the present day. The secret of honouring the Mother of God as a Protectress lies, perhaps, in the fact that we are dealing here not with…

Sep

14

2025

By Respected Author

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Christian Life, Faith, Liturgy

We extol you, O Lifegiver Christ, and honour your venerable Cross,by which you saved us from the slavery of the enemy.(Hymn of Praise in the Matins Service of the Feast) “The veneration of the Holy Cross of the Lord,” – says the Servant of God Andrew Sheptytsky in his pastoral letter on the Holy Cross – “is one of the most significant aspects of the worship of the God-Man... Signing ourselves with the sign of the Cross is one of the oldest customs of Christians.” The Holy Cross is an ever-living symbol of God’s everlasting love toward us sinners, a…

Sep

02

2025

By Respected Author

How Our Liturgical Year Developed

Christian Life, Faith, Liturgy

by Fr. Julian Katrijtranslated by Fr. Demetrius Wysochansky, OSBMIn the Old Testament we read about the mysterious tree of life, which God had planted in the garden of Eden. Although this tree no longer exists, the Lord has planted a new tree of life in the supernatural garden of the Church. This tree flourishes before our eyes, blossoming every year with new freshness and vigor; ever renewing itself, and bringing forth abundant fruit for eternal life, - and that mystical tree is the Liturgical Year.The development and growth of the Ecclesiastical Year can be aptly compared to the growth of…

Aug

31

2025

By Respected Author

Our Liturgical Year

Christian Life, Faith, Liturgy

by Fr. Julian Katrijtranslated by Fr. Demetrius Wysochansky, OSBMO Author of all created things Who has establishedthe seasons and the years, bless the crown of the yearwith your goodness, O Lord.Troparion of the Indiction Our Eastern Rite is a priceless heritage and treasure of the Eastern Church and our Ukrainian people. It is noted for its venerable antiquity, its profound content, its mysticism, symbolism, and magnificent liturgical ceremonies. Developed by the greatest and most gifted of the faithful of the Eastern Church of different ages, countries and peoples, it has been sanctified by the prayers, tears, and sacrifices of the…

Apr

20

2025

By Respected Author

The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Faith, LiturgyPascha

If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have laboured long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in no wise be deprived therefore. If…

Apr

14

2025

By His Beatitude Sviatoslav

Paschal Letter of Patriarch Sviatoslav 2025

Faith, News, UGCC

Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers,Venerable Brothers and Sisters in Monastic and Religious Life,Dearly Beloved Laity in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church The One who delivered the three youths from the furnace,Having become man has suffered as a mortal,And with suffering clothed mortality in the splendour of incorruption,The only blessed God of our fathers, most worthy of praise.Ode 7, Paschal Canon Christ is risen! Beloved in Christ! The Pascha of Christ is the feast of transformation—of humankind and the universe, of sorrow into joy; the feast of victory—of good over evil, life over death. Early in…

Jun

25

2024

By Fr. Michael Winn

New Particular Law for the UGCC

Faith, News, UGCCcanon law, law, particular law

This article was updated on June 25, 2024. In 2018 the UGCC promulgated the newest version of the Particular Law. You can find the official Ukrainian alongside an unofficial translation of the document here:UGCC Particular Law 2021 (PDF) (Word) (archeparchy.ca) The newest version of ecclesial laws for Ukrainian Catholic faithful was officially promulgated on 4 April 2018 and will take effect on 7 April 2018. This was accomplished by the publishing of both the Decree of Promulgation and the text of the updated version of Particular Law on the Church's official website for this purpose. The full text is presently…

Jun

23

2024

By Brent Kostyniuk

“Buying a Mass Card”

Both Lungs, Faith

by Brent Kostyniuk When a loved one is gravely ill, or perhaps has passed away, we long to do whatever is possible to help them in this world, or the next. Out first inclination should be to pray for that person. However, often it seems as if our prayers are not enough. We want to do more. We want a stronger and more direct means of imploring God’s mercy. At those times, we often approach our pastor and request a Divine Liturgy be said for that person. When I was growing up, I often heard my parents and relatives talk…

Jun

23

2024

By Respected Author

A Short Historical Summary of the Ukrainian Catholics in Canada

Faith

by Most Rev. Andrew Roborecky, D.D. [CCHA Journal 16 (1949), 25-36] In 1891 two Ukrainian Catholic peasants left their wives and parents, and alone, knowing no friends, language or customs, sailed for Canada. Like Joshua, they sailed “to spy out the land.” These two sturdy pioneers were Wasyl Eleniak, still living in Chipman, Alberta, and Ivan Pilipiwsky, who died several years ago. They came from the village of Nebiliw, county Kalush, in Galicia, then Austria-Hungary. Pilipiwsky went to Alberta, while Eleniak worked hard for two years on a farm near Winnipeg, saved his earnings, and sailed back to his native…

Dec

18

2022

By Brent Kostyniuk

St. Nicholas

Both Lungs, Faithnicholas

by Brent Kostyniuk Of all the saints commemorated in the Byzantine liturgical year, one of the most beloved surely has to be our Holy Father Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra. Although not exclusively a Ukrainian saint, he has won a special place in the hearts of Ukrainians. In Canada alone, there some two dozen Ukrainian Catholic parishes dedicated to his memory. Come December, no Christmas concert is complete without a visit from St. Nicholas, dressed in his bishop’s vestments, arriving to bring presents for the children. In return, he is serenaded with O, Xto, Xto a carol telling of…