“To be witnesses of faith and signs of hope—this is what Christ expects from each of us today,” bishop Maksym Ryabukha
On Sunday, 1 June 2025, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne, presided over by Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, in concelebration with Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Exarch of Donetsk.
Bishop Maksym’s visit to Australia has now lasted more than a week. Last week, he was in Sydney, where on the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, he presided over the Divine Liturgy at St. Andrew’s Church and later met with the students and teachers of the Saturday Ukrainian school attached to the parish.
During Sunday’s liturgy in Melbourne, the bishops were concelebrated by Fr. Andriy Mykytyuk, administrator of the cathedral; local clergy; and a guest from Perth — Fr. Ihor Holovko. The service was accompanied by the Cathedral Choir, which added solemnity to the communal prayer.
In his homily, Bishop Maksym reflected on the significance of the First Ecumenical Council for our lives today: “This first Ecumenical Council gathered bishops to proclaim the Creed we still pray today. The uniqueness of this Creed lies in the fact that it was not a negotiated agreement among people. The Fathers of the Church did not discuss what to think but simply shared the knowledge they brought with them to the Council. Their greatest discovery was that, even without knowing one another, they all held the same faith. Today I have come to you from distant Ukraine, but these tens of thousands of kilometres do not separate me from you, because even now we are united by one faith and one God,” emphasised the bishop.
“In times of war, I notice that people, reflecting deeply on their lives, keep only the most important things in their hearts. Today, in the East of Ukraine, where war continues, there is not much theatre or display. People try to seek the truth in their daily lives. When we ask ourselves, How do we reach peace?”—we understand there is only one answer: when people learn to feel the same. To feel that great love of God that unites us all. Today, many priests in eastern Ukraine are praying for the conversion of russia. Because true victory will not come merely when the weapons fall silent. If the human heart continues to hate, war will return. How important it is for us today to be people of prayer and to ask God for that grace we have already received — the ability to love.”
At the conclusion of his homily, Bishop Maksym urged the faithful to continue to be a living voice of hope: “Today, I want to tell you all: I feel good here with you, and I would very much like each of you to experience what I have and one day come to Donetsk, to the Cathedral in a free Ukraine. To be witnesses of faith and signs of hope—this is what Christ expects from each of us today,” the bishop added.
At the end of the liturgy, Bishop Mykola Bychok expressed his gratitude to Bishop Maksym for his presence and emphasised, “Please pass on to your priests, deacons, and faithful that although we are very far on the world map, in thought, in heart, and in our prayers — we are very close to where our people are. You are all a great example to us because you give the whole world a witness of resilience and spiritual strength.”
Following the liturgy, a meeting with Bishop Maksym took place in the Patriarch Josyf Parish Hall, during which he spoke about his ministry in the Donetsk Exarchate and the situation of our communities in the temporarily occupied territories. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and hear firsthand testimony about the challenges the Church faces in wartime conditions.
The pastoral message of Bishop Maksym, delivered both during the liturgy and during the meeting in the parish hall, provided a better understanding of the realities of church life in eastern Ukraine and offered support to those who serve and pray there, often in conditions of danger and uncertainty.
Press office of the Melbourne Eparchy
