“Never Be Ashamed to Be Human”: Today Marks the Birthday of His Beatitude Sviatoslav
On May 5, 2026, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, celebrates his 56th birthday. On this day, we invite you to learn more about the family of His Beatitude Sviatoslav—his parents, grandmother, and grandfather, who played an integral role in shaping him as a person, a Christian, and a priest. Today, the entire Church unites in a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of the life and ministry of the Head of the UGCC. We also gratefully remember his parents—his mother Vira and his father Yuriy—who instilled in their son a faith in God, Christian values, and a love for his native Church and his people.
Childhood in Stryi: first passion
His Beatitude Sviatoslav spent his childhood in his hometown of Stryi. It was here that his earliest dreams and interests blossomed. Few people know that one of his first true interests was pigeons.
His mother, Vira Shevchuk, recalled this period with fondness: “Pigeons—that was his first real passion. In the attic, where the garage is now, there was a pigeon loft.”
This childhood fascination reveals to us an attentive boy with an inquiring mind who, from an early age, learned responsibility and care for others.
“Never be ashamed to be human”—his grandfather’s counsel
His grandfather and grandmother played a special role in shaping the future Head of the Church. It was through them that he discovered the living faith and tradition of the Church.
“Through them, I entered the life of the Church,” reminisces His Beatitude Sviatoslav. “They became for me a walking encyclopedia of the history of the Church and our people.”
Their home was a place of prayer and spiritual encounter. The the blessed martyr Oleksiy Zarytskyy would visit there, celebrating the Divine Liturgy and sustaining the living faith during times of persecution.
It was from his grandfather that His Beatitude Sviatoslav heard the words that became his guiding principle: “Never be ashamed to be human.”
This simple yet profound advice continues today in his pastoral ministry—especially when he speaks of empathy, the right to tears, and the importance of standing alongside those who suffer.
Mother’s voice of conscience
His Beatitude Sviatoslav fondly recalls his parents, who, despite their different character traits, left a deep mark on his life.
His mother, a music teacher, instilled in him a special inner discipline: “Have you done your homework already?” This question, as His Beatitude Sviatoslav shares, still resonates within him as the voice of conscience. It reminds him of responsibility, of the need to be prepared for every encounter.
“After all public events, I return to my room, stand before the face of God, and take an examination of conscience: I go over everything I said, everything that was spoken, and reprimand myself for one mistake oe another, some expression or, perhaps, some foolishness spoken in public. This, to put it simply, is a piece of my mother’s heart and soul,” notes the Head of the UGCC.
Мама і тато Блаженнішого Святослава
Father — a teacher of how to love others
His Beatitude Sviatoslav’s father became a role model for him in the art of relationships. “He taught me to be a father, to love people, not to be fearful, to get along with them, and to build relationships. So I owe my father my way of loving people, understanding them, and not being ashamed of a sincere, loving attitude,” says the Patriarch.
He has a special memory of his first salary. “You have no right to waste it on yourself,” his father said.
This lesson in self-sacrifice and responsibility for others has stayed with him for life. At the same time, his father warned that sincerity makes a person vulnerable. But despite this, he urged him not to be afraid to love.
A priest who is not afraid to show empathy
His grandfather’s words, his parents’ guidance, and his family’s example are reflected today in the ministry of His Beatitude Sviatoslav. Speaking of the pain of people who have lost loved ones to the war, he emphasizes that there is no need to hide one’s tears or avoid empathy. In difficult moments, it is important simply to be there. This is what he calls “pastoral care for those in mourning” — a ministry in which the priest not only tries to offer verbal support but, above all, shares in the pain.
“In such moments, words fall silent. We must share in the pain of these people and grieve with them,” says His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
