The Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to be held on the Australian continent for the first time
From December 4 to 14, 2025, Melbourne will host the 13th (84th) session of the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The bishops who are members of the Synod are already arriving in Australia.
As Cardinal Mykola Bychok noted in his address to the clergy and faithful during preparations for this event, “for the first time in the history of our community in Australia, such an important event will take place.” The bishop also noted: “It has been 11 years since we last had this blessed time to welcome Patriarch Sviatoslav to our eparchy. Now His Beatitude is visiting Australia again.”
The working sessions of the Permanent Synod, which will take place in Melbourne, are chaired by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Participating alongside him will be Bishops Borys Gudziak, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Philadelphia; Volodymyr Yushchak, Bishop of the Eparchy of Wrocław—Koszalin; Josafat Moschych, Bishop of the Eparchy of Chernivtsi; and Bohdan Dzyurakh, Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainians of the Byzantine Rite in Germany and Scandinavia. Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Kyiv and Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, will serve as secretary during the meetings.
During the working days, the bishops will focus on drafting the main theme of the upcoming Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, “Pastoral Care of Vocations to the Priesthood and Monastic Life,” discuss the current situation in Ukraine and the challenges facing the Ukrainian people, analyze the pastoral situation in the Melbourne Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul and in Spain, and review a series of reports from the Pastoral Council of the UGCC, the Maritime Apostolate Department of the UGCC, the Canonical Department of the UGCC, the Theological Department of the UGCC, the Social Service Department, and the Mission “Postulation Center for the Beatification and Canonization of Saints of the UGCC.”
In addition to the working meetings, the visit of the bishops of the Permanent Synod will be marked by intensive joint prayers and meetings with Ukrainians on the Green Continent.
On December 7, the Patriarch, together with the bishops who are members of the Synod, will preside over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne. A Fundraiser Dinner for the initiatives of the Patriarchal Foundation “Wise Cause” is scheduled for the same day. “In this jubilee Year of Hope, I urge you to come to Melbourne in large numbers for this celebration. Together we will welcome our dear guests, listen to their messages, and pray together for the future of our Church and our people, especially in this turbulent time for Ukraine. Since St. Peter and Paul Cathedral has been designated a pilgrimage church for 2025, this event will also offer an opportunity to make our jubilee pilgrimage and receive a plenary jubilee indulgence,” Cardinal Mykola Bychok urged.
On December 9, the Divine Liturgy will be held at St. Volodymyr the Great Church in Canberra, followed by a meeting with clergy and faithful.
On December 10, clergy and faithful will gather at Melbourne Cathedral for the Divine Liturgy for the repose of the souls of the former bishops of the eparchy, Ivan Prashko and Peter Stasiuk. On December 14, they will pray with the bishops in their own parish communities (Ardeer, Geelong, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth).
Ukrainian bishops will also conduct a series of meetings with representatives of the Catholic clergy in Australia and government officials of that country to convey to them the current situation in Ukraine and the suffering of the Ukrainian people due to the Russian invasion. Meetings have already been arranged with the following individuals:
- Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference;
- Fr. Chris de Souza, Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference;
- Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli of Melbourne;
- Archbishop Charles Balvo, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia;
- Archbishop Christopher Prowse of Canberra;
- the families of the priests of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne;
- Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia;
- Jacinta Allan, Premier of Victoria;
- Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia;
- Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense of Australia.
“This event is a chance to showcase the life of our Australian-Ukrainian community in the context of the global Church, to demonstrate our faithfulness and unity, and to receive spiritual encouragement and inspiration through the example of our bishops. Furthermore, it is an opportunity for clergy, laity, youth, and families to feel part of the larger family of the Ukrainian Catholic Church—spread throughout the world but united by one faith and mission,” said Cardinal Mykola Bychok in his concluding statement to the clergy and faithful during preparations for this event.
Press Service of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
