The President of Ukraine presented two priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with the “Golden Heart” award
On December 5, the President of Ukraine awarded two priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with the Golden Heart state award. The award was presented for their significant personal contribution to volunteer assistance and developing the volunteer movement, particularly in the course of measures to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protect the security of the population and the interests in the face of the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and overcome its repercussions, as well as for their active civic stance.
According to the decree the following individuals received the President of Ukraine’s “Golden Heart” award:
Hieromonk Makariy Dutka — volunteer, abbot of the Holy Dormition Lavra of the Studite Order of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 2010–2024 (Lviv region).
Since the beginning of his volunteer work, Father Makariy has fundraised and donated over 73 million hryvnias to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thanks to these donations, it was made possible to support the military in purchasing drones, electronic warfare equipment, vehicles, medical equipment, and prosthetics for the wounded in rehabilitation centers.
“Every time I start a new campaign, I get very worried. So I pray and ask God to open people’s hearts, because soldiers are waiting for help,” says Father Makariy.
The hieromonk also actively participates in the “Birds of Victory” charity auctions, to which he donates his artistic lots — icons and paintings.
In 2022, as abbot of the Holy Dormition Lavra in Univ, he and the monks took in more than 300 families of internally displaced persons, of whom more than 100 lived in the monastery for almost a year.
On Volunteer Day, Father Makariy was awarded another distinction—the title of “Honorary Citizen of the Truskavets Community.”
Father Marko-Yaroslav Semehen is the rector of St. Sophia Procathedral in Rome (Italian Republic) and president of the St. Sophia Religious Society.
Under the leadership of Father Marko, the “Saint Sophia” society in Rome has been organizing humanitarian aid for the affected regions of Ukraine since the first days of the war.
From the first days of full-scale war, 140 trucks with aid have been sent to the affected regions, carrying food, medicine, hygiene items, clothing, and other essential supplies.
“The humanitarian mission is a service of the St. Sophia Society to those suffering from Russian aggression and is an evangelical response to the challenges of today,” emphasizes Fr. Marko.
