UGCC Head Appoints Representatives to the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the UGCC, appointed Bishop Stepan Sus, Bishop of the Curia of the Supreme Archbishop of the UGCC and Head of the Pastoral Migration Department of the UGCC, as a permanent observer at the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (COMECE). Father Ivan Danchevsky, administrator of the Nativity of John the Baptist Parish in Ghent (Belgium) and a synkel in the Benelux countries, was appointed deputy observer.
COMECE is an organization that brings together bishops from the European Union to engage with EU institutions and monitor legislation and policies in line with Catholic social teaching. It consists of 26 EU Bishops’ Conferences.
The appointment of the UGCC Head’s representatives was made in light of “the importance of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s representation in this organization, especially during the defensive war against the Russian aggressor,” the decree states.
In November 2023, His Beatitude Sviatoslav paid an official visit to COMECE, where he spoke at the General Assembly about the war in Ukraine, its repercussions and the role of the Church in the war.
During this visit, the Head of the UGCC appealed to COMECE President Mariano Crociata with a request to grant the UGCC permanent observer status.
“The presence of the UGCC in this church institution of the European Union is an essential stage in the development of church diplomacy and European integration processes of Ukraine through a network of interchurch relations,” commented His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
For the first time in COMECE’s history, a non-EU Church has been granted representation.
On March 4, COMECE issued a statement of endorsement of Ukraine and its efforts to achieve a “comprehensive, just and lasting” peace.
Secretariat of the Head of the UGCC in Rome
