A Native of Donetsk Becomes a Priest at St. Sophia in Rome
In Rome, At the Patriarchal Pro-Cathedral of St. Sophia in Rome, Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Exarch of Donetsk, ordained Deacon Roman Sukhorukov—a native of Donetsk and graduate of the Kyiv Three Saints Seminary—to the priesthood. Fr. Roman belongs to the Donetsk Exarchate and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The news was reported by the press service of St. Sophia Cathedral in Rome.
The ordination took place on September 17, 2025, during a Divine Liturgy led by Bishop Maksym and concelebrated by Bishop Mykola Semanyshyn, Auxiliary Bishop of the Ivano-Frankivsk Archeparchy, and Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
In his homily, Bishop Maksym emphasized that Fr. Roman’s ordination is a significant event not only for a single community but for the entire Church and all of Ukraine:
“Today is a special day in the life of our local Church as we celebrate the ordination of a new priest. But it is also a great celebration for our wounded Ukraine, scarred by war, and especially for the Donetsk Exarchate.”
The bishop recalled the life journey of the newly ordained priest, shaped by war and separation from his family:
“Since 2014, when the war began, he has not seen his family. He no longer knew what it was like to come home, open his drawer, or drink tea from his own cup… He had to let go of all that.”
Yet Bishop Maksym expressed hope for Fr. Roman’s eventual return: “The day will come when Roman will walk again through the streets of his native Donetsk, meet the people dear to his heart, and drink tea from his own cup.”
Reflecting on the priestly vocation, he added: “To be a priest means to live among people and to bear witness to the One you love above all. It means to be the living voice of Christ, who desires to embrace every person with His love. A priest’s life is a life shared with God, especially through the Holy Sacraments—the visible signs of God’s invisible grace.”
Addressing Fr. Roman directly, Bishop Maksym said:
“We believe that today, when people in the eastern regions of Ukraine are voiceless and weary, Fr. Roman will become the voice for those unheard and an embrace for those long unembraced.”
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the newly ordained priest expressed his heartfelt thanks to the bishops, clergy, his parents, and mentors who supported his journey to the priesthood. He gave special thanks to Fr. Mark-Yaroslav Semegen, Rector of the Pro-Cathedral, and Fr. Dmytro Kudin, Vice-Rector, for their spiritual guidance and support.
The UGCC Department for Information
