Cardinal Mykola Bychok Celebrated Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Jubilee “Bells of Lemkivshchyna” Festival
On 15 August, the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, marking the opening of the 25th International Festival of Lemko Culture, “Bells of Lemkivshchyna”, at the Bychova tract near Monastyryska in the Ternopil region.
The “Bells of Lemkivshchyna” festival dates back to 1999, when the first festival, known as the “Lemko Vatra”, was held in the Ternopil region. Since 2001, the festival has been held at the Bychova tract, bringing the Lemko community together to preserve its culture, traditions, historical memory and spiritual heritage.
In his homily, Cardinal Mykola emphasised the particular significance of beginning the jubilee festival with communal prayer, noting that faith has always held an important place in the life of the Lemko community. Reflecting on the Gospel account of Martha and Mary, the bishop drew attention to Christ’s words: “One thing is needed.” “It seems to me that each of us can recognise ourselves in Martha. We too are concerned about many things every day. About our families. About our children. About our work. About our health. About the future. We have many tasks, plans and responsibilities, and most of them are necessary and important. Yet amid all of this, Christ reminds us today: ‘One thing is needed.’ This does not mean that we should abandon our responsibilities or stop caring for those we love. Today’s Gospel reminds us of something else: amid all our daily concerns, we must not lose sight of what matters most — God.”
In his homily, Cardinal Mykola also gave particular attention to the history of the Lemko people and the preservation of their cultural and spiritual heritage. He emphasised that, together with their language, songs, traditions and memory of their ancestral homeland, it is equally important to pass on to future generations the faith by which their ancestors lived. “You can teach a child a traditional song. You can pass on traditions. You can tell them the story of their family and where they come from. But no one can take the place of a mother and father in showing a child what it means to live with God. Children should not only hear us speak about faith. They should see our faith. Do they see us pray? Do they see that on Sundays we make time for God? Do they hear us giving thanks to the Lord? Do they know that when we face difficulties, we do not simply worry and complain, but also turn to God in prayer? Because the best way to pass on our faith is not through words, but through the way we live.”
At the conclusion of his homily, the bishop called for prayers for Lemko families, for the older generation who preserved and passed on their heritage, for children and young people, as well as for Ukraine, its defenders, prisoners of war, those who are missing, the wounded, and all those who have lost loved ones and their homes because of the war. “May the Most Holy Mother of God protect each of us, our families and our Ukraine. May she help us, amid all the concerns and trials of life, never to lose what matters most — our faith and our trust in God.”
During the festival, Taras Pastukh, Head of the Ternopil Regional Military Administration, presented Cardinal Mykola with the “Pride of Ternopil Region” distinction. In recognition of the Cardinal’s ministry, he thanked him for providing spiritual care to Ukrainians living far from their homeland, for supporting Ukraine’s defenders, and for helping to share the truth about Ukraine with the world. As part of the jubilee festival, a special cancellation ceremony was also held for a commemorative postage stamp marking the 25th anniversary of the “Bells of Lemkivshchyna” festival.
catholicukes.au
