His Beatitude Sviatoslav Awarded the Order of Merit, III Class
On January 15, 2025, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, met with Mr. Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, at the administrative building of the Patriarchal Center of the UGCC in Kyiv. At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister carried out an honorable mission on behalf of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, and the Government, presenting the Head of the UGCC with the Order of Merit of the III class.
The order was awarded “for a significant personal contribution to state-building, socio-economic, educational, cultural, and spiritual development of the Ukrainian state,” as stated in the decree of the President of Ukraine.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed his gratitude to the President and the Prime Minister for the award, remarking, “We do not work and serve for rewards.” He added, “This order is a recognition of the role and place of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in state-building and its ministry to Ukrainian society.”
Following the award ceremony, a conversation took place. His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for their clear and coordinated collaboration.
The Head of the UGCC also spoke about his recent meeting with His Beatitude Epifaniy, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He highlighted that the meeting was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, emphasizing that interfaith peace and the collaboration of Churches and religious organizations are fundamental to Ukraine’s stability, particularly during the ongoing Russian aggression.
The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to the Head of the UGCC for his efforts to strengthen partnerships between the Church and the state, as well as among Churches. He encouraged the continuation of this dialogue, recognizing its crucial role in state-building.
During their discussion, they also addressed the situation of Ukrainians forced to go abroad because of the war. They underscored the importance of joint efforts by the Church and the state to support the return of these citizens.
The meeting was also attended by Rostyslav Tistyk, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, and Archpriest Oleksa Petriv, Head of the Department of External Relations of the UGCC in Ukraine.
The UGCC Department for Information
