His Beatitude Sviatoslav Receives Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Fifth Class
On August 16, 2026, at the Patriarchal Center of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Kyiv, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, presented His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Fifth Class.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav was awarded the order in accordance with Decree No. 532/2026 of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dated June 26, 2026, “On the Awarding of State Honors of Ukraine on the Occasion of Ukraine’s Constitution Day.”
According to the state decree the awards were granted “for significant contributions to strengthening Ukrainian statehood, for the courage and dedication demonstrated in defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, for a substantial personal contribution to the development of various spheres of public life, and for the conscientious fulfillment of professional duties.”
Upon receiving the award, His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the Ukrainian authorities for the high state honor. In his words, this order does not belong to him personally, but to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which he leads.
Also participating in the ceremony were Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Bishop Josyf Milan, Protosyncellus of the Kyiv Archeparchy; Bishop Stepan Sus, Bishop of the Patriarchal Curia; Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv; and Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Exarch of Donetsk.
Following the award ceremony, the leadership of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and the bishops present held a meeting.
The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise is a state award of Ukraine conferred for outstanding personal merits to the Ukrainian state, particularly in state-building, strengthening Ukraine’s international standing, and the development of education and culture, as well as in charitable, humanitarian, and civic activities.
The UGCC Department for Information
