UGCC Bishops Open 2025 Synod in Rome with Prayer to the Holy Spirit and Synodal Oath
On June 29, the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the 2025 Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church solemnly began in Rome. For the first time in the UGCC’s history, the Synod was inaugurated with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Pope.
That morning, during Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV welcomed the UGCC bishops and expressed his gratitude for their pastoral zeal.
Later in the evening, the bishops gathered for the Moleben to the Holy Spirit, during which they prayed for divine guidance, took the synodal oath, and carried the Holy Gospel in solemn procession into the Synod’s meeting hall, formally beginning their work.
Before the service, Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Secretary of the Synod, read the Decree of Convocation issued by the Head of the UGCC.
In his address during the prayer service, HisBeatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, highlighted the uniqueness of these historic days for the Church. Reflecting on the UGCC’s recent Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage, which brought together over 7,000 faithful from around the world, he said:
“We have witnessed that we are a global Church with roots in Kyiv—united at our core with Ukrainian Churches of different confessions, and embracing the global Ukrainian community.”
The central theme of this year’s Synod is pastoral care for families in wartime. His Beatitude emphasized that such care is not merely a set of programs or ideas, but a living relationship—supporting, protecting, and healing families amid the hardships of war.
“Pastoral care of the family means being in relationship with that family. As bishops, priests, and parish communities, we must accompany Ukrainian families in wartime,” he said.
The Patriarch also underlined the importance of synodality in the Church’s life and mission:
“It is not enough to convene a Synod—we must be a Synod. And we are a Synod only when the Holy Spirit dwells and acts among us,” he said, echoing the words of Pope Francis.
The Synod of Bishops of the UGCC will continue through July 10, 2025, at the Ukrainian Pontifical College of St. Josaphat in Rome.
The UGCC Department for Information
