Holy Glorious Prophet Elias

July 20, 2025

Feast of the Holy Glorious Prophet Elias

And [Elijah] said to her, “Give me your son,” and he took him out of her arms and carried him up to a loft where he slept and laid him on his own bed. He cried to the Lord and said, “O Lord, my God, have You brought tragedy upon the widow with whom I live by killing her son?” And he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord and said, “O Lord, my God, I pray that You let this child’s soul come into him again.”

The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he was revived. Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the chamber into the house and returned him to his mother, and Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” (1 Kings 17:19-23)

The icon is of the Holy Glorious Prophet Elias (July 20th).

Analysis: Why Greek Catholics of Ukraine seek recognition as a patriarchate

By Andrea Gagliarducci
.- The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is not a patriarchate, but it would like to be.

A request for a recognition of patriarchal status recently came from Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who addressed it in a speech delivered Feb. 9 for the 125th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Josip Sliyi.
 
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is a church sui iuris, which means it is an autonomous Church with its specific rite, but in communion with Rome and subject to the governance of the Pope.
 
Usually, Churches sui iuris are established as patriarchates. This means that they are led by a patriarch, elected by their synod, or leadership council of bishops. The Pope is informed of the election of the Patriarch, after which he grants ecclesiastical communio to the Patriarch.
 
The Greek Ukrainian Catholic Church is instead a major archepiscopate. This means that, after the synod elects the major archbishop, the Pope must confirm the election to make it valid.
 
Cardinal Slipyi was the first head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to be denoted a Major Archbishop.
 
The situation was well explained in a speech by Archbishop Cyril Vasil, secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.


 
In a lecture delivered at the Pontificio Istituto Orientale in February 2017, Archbishop Vasil reminded that “during the Second Vatican Council’s preparations, considered was made to give the status of patriarchate to the Ukrainian, Malabarese and Ethiopic Churches. After a wide discussion,the Ukrainian, Malabarese and Romanian Churches were promoted to the rank of major archepiscopate.”
 
He also noted that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has “more than any other” sought to be recognized as Patriarchate. However,he added,  “there were and are ecumenical issue that prevent recognizing the Greek Catholic Church as a Patriarchate.”

Continue reading at: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/analysis-why-greek-catholics-of-ukraine-seek-recognition-as-a-patriarchate-20202