Bishop Mykola Bychok took part in the Lemko Vatra in Żdynia
On July 19–20, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, visited the village of Żdynia in Poland, where the 43 rd Lemko Vatra was held—the largest annual gathering of Lemkos in the world, aimed at preserving and developing the culture, traditions, and spiritual heritage of the Lemkos.
The Lemko Vatra is a festival that traditionally brings together Lemkos from all over the world. It was founded in 1983 and is the largest event of Lemko culture in Poland. In 2025, the festival also celebrated the 35th anniversary of the creation of the Lemko Association.
On Saturday, July 19, before the official opening, those present honoured the memory of the victims of Operation Visla, as well as the Lemkos who died in the war in Ukraine. A symbolic gesture of this remembrance was the ringing of a bell and the lighting of candles, which participants placed at the memorial cross.
After that, the grand opening of the Lemko Vatra took place on the main stage, where Bishop Mykola had the opportunity to address those present on behalf of the clergy. In his speech, he emphasised the importance of such meetings: “It is good for us to be here.” It was with these words that the Apostle Peter addressed Christ during the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, when he proposed building three tents—for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. These words can also be applied to Lemko Vatra, where for several days guests gather under tents to celebrate, pray, and preserve their culture together.”
Bishop Mykola called on those present to focus on the importance of passing on faith, traditions, culture, and language so as not to lose the richness of the Lemko heritage. He also emphasised that Lemko Vatra is not only a cultural event but also a spiritual one, as it is located near Mount Yavir, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 100 years ago.
On Sunday, July 20, a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was held at the Vatra site, led by Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, concelebrated by Metropolitan Eugeniusz Popowicz, Archbishop of Przemyśl-Warsaw; Bishop WłodzimierzJuszczak, Eparch of Wrocław-Koszalin; Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski, Eparch of Olsztyn-Gdańsk; and the clergy present.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Eugeniusz Popowicz thanked Bishop Mykola for leading the prayer and presented him with an icon as a memento of his participation in the Lemko Vatra. In response, Bishop Mykola expressed his gratitude for the invitation.
“For me, Lemko Vatra is not only a celebration for the body, but above all a celebration for the soul. It is more of a pilgrimage, a spiritual event, as well as a time that we can spend not only enjoying artistic performances but also in sincere, deep communication that supports and unites us. I had the opportunity to meet one of our soldiers, talk to him, and also talk to the mother of a fallen Ukrainian defender. Such conversations remind us of the depth and meaning of our shared presence here,” said Bishop Mykola.
