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Eparchy of Buchach

About

The eparchy of Buchach is a Greek Catholic eparchy that belongs to Ternopil-Zboriv Metropolis. The eparchy embraces South part of the Ternopil region namely Buchach, Chortkiv, Monastyrysk, Husiatyn, Borshchiv, Zalishchyky, and Pidhaitsi districts. Thus, the total area is 546 km2 and the number of settlements is 394. Population reaches  401,9 thousand people (as of 2002) including 328 thousand  Greek Catholics.

Coat of arms of the eparchy of BuchachCoat of arms of the eparchy of Buchach

For an effective pastoral ministry, the eparchy of Buchach unites 314 parishes. The latter is divided into 14 deaneries:

  • Chortkiv city
  • Borshchiv
  • Buchach
  • Hrymailiv
  • Husiatyn
  • Kopychentsy
  • Zalishchyky
  • Zolotyi Potik
  • Koropets
  • Melnytsia-Podilska
  • Monastyrysk
  • Pidhaitsi
  • Probizhna
  • Tovste

232 priests of whom 220 eparchial priests and 12 hieromonks carry out their ministry in the eparchy. Also, 62 seminarians are undergoing priestly formation, mostly at the Ternopil Higher Theological Seminary named after Patriarch Joseph. There are 5 monasteries on the territory of the Buchach eparchy, 3 male (Buchach, Chortkiv, and Ulashkiv monasteries of the Order of St. Basil the Great), and 2 female ones. There are 19 monks of the Order of St. Basil the Great and 12 sisters.

Also, on the territory of the Buchach eparchy, there are educational institutions, the Chortkiv Deacon-Catechetical Academy named after the Holy Martyr Hryhoriy Khomyshyn and the Buchach Collegium of St. Josaphat.

Location

Bishop

Since July 23, 2011, the Reverend Bishop Dmytro Hryhorak, who priorly was Apostolic administrator of the eparchy (July 28, 2007-July 23,2011), has been the ruling eparch of the eparchy of Buchach.

The cathedral of the eparchy of Buchach is the Cathedral of the Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul in Chortkiv (Ternopil region). Also, in the eparchy, there is a pro-cathedral of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Buchach (Ternopil region).

History

The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church that took place between July 16–21, 2000 in Buchach of Ternopil region decided to create the eparchy of Buchach and assigned Iryney Bilyk as bishop of this throne.

Holy Father John Paul II approved this decision of the Synod and proclaimed this news on October 12, 2000.

The Synod of the eparchy of Buchach was held on March 28–19, 2002. It was called Jesus Christ — a revival of the Ukrainian people.

On July 28, 2007, it was informed by the Vatican that Holy Father Benedict XVI appointed bishop Iryney Bilyk to be a canon of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The throne of the Buchach eparchy was vacant till 2011. Therefore, the hieromonk Dmytro Hryhorak, Apostolic Administrator managed the eparchy. On July 23, 2011, it was officially announced the decision of the Synod of the UGCC to assign Fr. Dmytro Hryhorak as the Bishop of Buchach. His ordination and enthronement to the throne of the eparchy of Buchach took place on September 18, 2011.

After the creation of three new metropolia of the UGCC at the end of 2011, the eparchy of Buchach became part of the Ternopil-Zboriv Metropolis of the UGCC.

On September 20, 2014, the Eparchial Council was held in Buchach on the theme Living parish — a place of meeting with the living Christ. It began with the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Shrines

Concerning pilgrimage sites and miraculous icons, it is important to mention the Monastery of the Nativity of Christ of the Order of St Basil the Great in Ulashkivtsi village (Chortkiv district, Ternopil region) where Ulashkivtsi miraculous icon of the Mother of God is placed (early XVII c.) and where is the miraculous icon of St. John the Baptist (early XVII c.). Also, there is the church of St John the Baptist (early XVIII c.) with the healing spring in Savelivka village (Monastyrysk district, Ternopil region), the Chapel of Laying Our Lady’s Holy Robe where Lanivtsi miraculous icon of the Mother of God (early XIX c.) is placed (Lanivtsi, Ternopil region), the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Horodok village (Zalishchyky district, Ternopil region) where the Kulakivtsi-Horodok miraculous icon of the Mother of God is located (XVIII c. a copy of 1952), the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary where the Vovkivtsi miraculous icon of the Mother of God is (middle XVII c.) in Vovkivtsi village (Borshchiv district, Ternopil region), the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God where the Borshchiv miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is placed (early XVIII c. a copy of XIX c.), Borshchiv (Ternopil region).

Blessed Martyr Hryhoriy Khomyshyn is a patron of the eparchy of Buchach.

Contacts

Address: St. Monastyrska, 1, Chortkiv 48500, Ukraine

Phone/fax: +380 (35) 522-23-17;
Phone/fax: +380 (35) 522-37-91

Email: [email protected]

Website: buchacheparchy.org.ua