Chernivtsi Hosts Mini-Football Tournament for UGCC Priests
The city of Chernivtsi hosted the annual mini-football tournament organized by the UGCC Department for Sports Pastoral Care. Priests from 10 Greek Catholic dioceses across Ukraine participated in the competition, which took place at the Bukovyna Stadium.
This event was announced on the Facebook page of the UGCC Department for Sports Pastoral Care.
The unique gathering demonstrated that priesthood is not confined to spiritual matters, but also embraces an active lifestyle and healthy competition. The soccer field became a space for unity and support among the participants, as the main goal of the competition was to strengthen brotherly ties.
The tournament began with a Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by a thanksgiving prayer service led by Bishop Yosaphat Moschych, Eparch of Chernivtsi. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Bishop Yosaphat, Chernivtsi Deputy Mayor Yuriy Lesyuk, and a song performance by People’s Artist of Ukraine Oksana Savchuk.
Following the draw, the teams were divided into three groups. Representatives from the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Mukachevo archdioceses advanced to the semifinals. In the final, the teams from the Zakarpattia and Sokal-Zhovkva Eparchies faced off, and Sokal-Zhovkva won the championship.
The Ivano-Frankivsk Archeparchy team secured bronze after a hard-fought match against Lviv. Alongside the main tournament, veteran priests from the Ternopil and Stryi Archeparchies also competed in a match, with the Ternopil team taking the win.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the winners were awarded.
The UGCC Department for Information
