“We Wish for You to Be an Apostle of Unity” — Head of the UGCC to the New Bishop of Mukachevo
On July 16, 2024, the episcopal ordination and installation of Bishop Teodor Matsapula, the new ruling bishop of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy, took place in Uzhhorod. His Beatitude Sviatoslav concelebrated with many bishops of the UGCC and congratulated the newly ordained bishop on behalf of the entire Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Metropolitan Volodymyr Viytyshyn of Ivano-Frankivsk of the UGCC was the main consecrator, with Metropolitan Jonah Maxim of Prešov and the former administrator of the Mukachevo GCE, Nil Lushchak, serving as co-consecrators.
“Today we have witnessed a wondrous and profound mystery—the Holy Spirit has anointed and manifested to all of us a new apostle of our days, whose name is ‘Gift of God’ (Teodor),” said the Head of the UGCC at the end of the Liturgy, addressing Bishop Teodor Matsapula. “Dear Bishop, on behalf of the entirety of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, we congratulate you on the gift that you are receiving and sharing today.”
In his welcoming speech, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that the Holy Apostle Paul, when outlining the core of his mission, considered himself an apostle of reconciliation, who begged all those to whom he was sent to be reconciled with God, and he was also an apostle of the unity of the Universal Church of Christ, the unity of those people whom he made disciples of Christ.
“We wish for you to be an apostle of unity. You have so many wounds to heal! And the gift that you have received is precisely the salve for the wounds that the enemy is inflicting very deeply on the body of our people today. Heal the wounds of your eparchy, be a father who embraces everyone, for whom everyone matters,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
“We wish you to be a bearer of reconciliation and a witness to the unity of the Church of Christ, for there to be one flock and one shepherd. We wish you many and blessed years!” the Head of the UGCC wished.
On May 8, Pope Francis nominated Fr. Teodor Matsapula as Bishop Ordinary of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy.
On Monday, July 15, the Great Vespers with the Rite of Episcopal Consecration of Fr. Teodor Matsapula took place. Then, on Tuesday, July 16, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with the Rite of Ordination and Installation was held. The event was rebroadcast by Zhyve Television.
The UGCC Department for Information
Photo by the press service of the Mukachevo Eparchy
