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All You Orthodox Christians

All You Orthodox Christians

by Brent Kostyniuk A priest once told me how he had been chastised by an upset parishioner because he prayed for the Orthodox Church during the Divine Liturgy. We both got a chuckle out of the story; however, it did point to a misunderstanding. The prayer, repeated several times during the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, is intended for something quite different from the parishioner’s understanding. Specifically, during the Ektenia of Fervent Supplication, the following petition is prayed by the priest. “We also pray for the people here present who await Your great and bountiful mercies, for those who…
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“Voluntary, accessible, safe”—the position of the UGCC concerning vaccination against COVID-19

On February 8th in Kyiv the all-Ukraine forum “Ukraine 30. The Coronavirus: challenges and answers” began its work. This is a societal dialogue on the pandemic and the fight to overcome it. The first day of the forum concluded with a special session: “A conversation among religious leaders of Ukraine,” during which speakers discussed the Church’s position on vaccination against COVID-19 and specifically how their particular religious community influences the faithful on this matter. The Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church was represented at the forum by Fr. Oleksa Petriv, the director of the Department for external relations of the UGCC.During the session…
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Internment

by Brent Kostyniuk It has become fashionable to resurrect historic injustices and blame them for present day conditions. However, there is one event which remains little known, which brought horrible sufferings to thousands, and for which no reparation has even been considered—the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during World War I. Imprisoned This infamous incident in Canadian history began when the War Measures Act came into law in 1914. Under the pretext of safeguarding the country from enemy aliens, some 8,500 men were interned as prisoners of war. Far from being enemy alien combatants, these men were civilians. Some detainees were…
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Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus Stephen Sulyk

Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus Stephen Sulyk

Born into life—October 2, 1924Born into Eternal Life—April 6, 2020 https://youtu.be/EVCffVekg_E from The Way On Monday, April 6, Metropolitan-Archbishop Emeritus Stephen Sulyk while a patient at Virtua Voorhees Hospital, Voorhees NJ was called home to the Lord. Archbishop Sulyk, 95, served as Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States. He was appointed Metropolitan-Archbishop of Philadelphia by St. John Paul II on December 29, 1980 and was consecrated bishop in Rome on March 1, 1981. The principal Consecrator was His Beatitude Josyf Cardinal Slipyj, and the Principal Co-Consecrators were…
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Holy Week & Pascha – A Brief Explanation

Holy Week & Pascha – A Brief Explanation

by Fr. Peter Babej Lazarus Saturday The Great Fast (40 days) ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday form a short and joyous prelude to the days of grief which will follow. Bethany is the place where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and reveals Himself to be “the Resurrection and the Life.” “Those who believe in Me, even though they die, will live” (John 11:25). Bethany is also the point of departure for Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. On this Saturday, we go to Bethany, to Lazarus’s tomb. We want to meet Jesus at Bethany…
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2019 Christmas Greetings from the Patriarch

2019 Christmas Greetings from the Patriarch

Most Reverend Archbishops and Metropolitans,God-loving Bishops, Very Reverend Clergy, Venerable Monastics,Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters,in Ukraine and throughout the world Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy!Lk 2:10 Christ is born!  Glorify Him! Beloved in Christ! Today the angels in heaven sing and celebrate, all creation is filled with joy, for the Saviour and Lord is born this day in Bethlehem of Judea. This joy, which we especially experience with today’s illustrious feast, is an integral part of being for every believing Christian, a visible sign and fruit of God’s unceasing presence. The joy of…
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Our Byzantine Heritage

by Brent Kostyniuk As Ukrainian Catholics, we, along with others, are the inheritors of a rich Byzantine Christian tradition. It provides a spirituality abundant in prayers, icons, hymns, and liturgies intended to draw us ever closer to God. It has been our birth-right for over 1000 years since St. Volodymyr arranged the baptism of the Ukrainian people. Even then it was centuries old. However, “Why Byzantine?” you may well ask. The answer lies deep in Christianity, in the first centuries of the Church’s existence. As the early Church grew it formed around five centres - Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Byzantium, and…
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Apostolic Administrator Appointed for Toronto

Apostolic Administrator Appointed for Toronto

On Saturday, November 9, 2019, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Stephen Chmilar of Toronto and appointed Bishop Bryan Bayda (Saskatoon) as the Apostolic Administrator of Toronto [See Vatican News Bulletin]. Bishop Stephen Chmilar and Bryan Baydaat Mount Mary Immaculate Retreat Centre, Ancaster, Ontario.Photo: Eparchy of Toronto
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ByziMoms for ByziPriests

ByziMoms for ByziPriests

This is a new Apostolate that may appeal to many. Its mission: Our Byzantine Church is in need of refreshment, renewed energy and the vitality that only the Holy Spirit can provide. ​It is our desire, as ByziMoms, to call down the fire of the Holy Spirit upon our Byzantine Church by praying daily for each and every one of our Byzantine priests so that they may experience all of the blessings that God intends for them, and through them, for us! ​If you would like to join our Apostolate, click the button to the right and join our facebook…
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Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak takes the official lead of Archeparchy of Philadelphia

Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak takes the official lead of Archeparchy of Philadelphia

Source: RISU The official enthronement ceremony of the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Borys Gudziak, took place on June 4 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, with participation of 50 bishops from the Eastern Catholic, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Catholic Churches, over a hundred of priests and members of the monastic orders. Bishop Boris became the seventh Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archeparchy (Metropolia) of Philadelphia of the UGCC. The head of the UGCC Patriarch Sviatoslav and the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States Christopher Pierre led the Liturgy with the ceremony…
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