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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

Greetings from the bishops of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church
to the faithful on the occasion of the 2012 Holy Synod
being held in Canada

“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock
of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers,
in which you tend the Church of God that He acquired with his own blood”.

(Acts 20:28)

Dearly Beloved in Christ!

These words of the holy apostle Paul, directed to the elders of the Christian community in Miletus, contain a message not only for the people in the times of St. Paul, but for us living today in the 21^st century. As we, the Bishops of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church throughout the world, prepare to hold our annual Holy Synod, St. Paul reminds us that through this gathering, we who have been called to oversee the Church are to tend this Church of God that the Lord has acquired through the shedding of his own blood, and for which during the thousand-plus year history many of its sons and daughters have given their lives.

This year the UGCC Synod of Bishops will hold its annual gathering in Winnipeg (Canada), to honour the 100^th anniversary of the arrival of the first bishop for our faithful in Canada, Blessed Martyr Nykyta (Budka). A Synod – this is a special work of God, carried out by men: a sign of the presence and special manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ’s Church.

In preparing for this event on Canadian soil, we want from all our hearts to greet all Ukrainians and their descendants, all the sons and daughters of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church, who live in Canada, to assure each of you of our prayers, our admiration and love! Taking part in the Synod will be bishops from Canada, Ukraine, Western Europe, Latin America, the United States and Australia. We wish to address you with the Word of God in hope. We wish to strengthen you in faith, being filled with great joy in our anticipated meeting with you.

We are convinced, that the Synod event will fill all our Canadian community with the special blessing of the Holy Spirit, blowing the fresh wind of this Spirit into the sails of the Ukrainian Church in this country, giving you the strength and courage to continue living the Christian life and faith of your ancestors.

When Blessed Nykyta arrived in Canada in 1912, he found our faithful striving to establish their lives in a new land with many challenges and hurdles. The people knew well the customs and lifestyle in their Ukrainian homeland. They knew how to till the soil. They knew how to raise their children. They knew how to live their Ukrainian Catholic faith. But now it was as if they had come to a new world. There were different ways of working the land. There were different kinds of government. There were new languages and customs. There were many churches and religions that confused them. How could Bishop Nykyta tend the Church of God in such a challenging land? How could he help our faithful keep their Christian faith and Ukrainian heritage in a world that was often very alien and inhospitable?

Trusting totally in God, filled with great courage and evangelical dedication, working together with the clergy, the monastics and active laity, the bishop strove to strengthen and build the Ukrainian Church and community life across the vast terrain of Canada. Because of his efforts and the dedicated work of his successors over the last one hundred years our Church in Canada has accomplished much. It developed into the first Metropolitan See outside of Ukraine. It has given many bishops, priests, monastics and sisters for our UGCC not just in Canada, but also throughout the world. Many of the laity have achieved great success in the Canadian society as teachers and lawyers, doctors and engineers, politicians and military officials. Our people have built many beautiful church buildings, schools, cultural centers, printing presses and seniors homes. Our laity belong to various organizations by which they live out their faith and help spread the Word of God.

You, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, together with your priests and bishops, are the inheritors and witnesses of this glorious church and national legacy, which our Ukrainian people brought with them and preserved in this land. On this occasion we desire to express to you our sincere recognition and gratitude for your attachment to the faith of your ancestors and for the preservation of our national and cultural traditions.

Your dedication and faithfulness to the divine matters of our Church in Ukraine were especially felt during the 80’s and 90’s of the last century, when after the long decades of persecution the Lord granted freedom to her and to our people. Then you willingly hastened to help with your prayers, generous donations and by your direct participation, contributing to the rebirth and rebuilding of the Ukrainian nation and our native Church. We remember this and we thank you for this!

Today, as we prepare to celebrate the 1025 anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ Ukraine and to consecrate the Patriarchal (Cathedral) Sobor of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, which, we hope, will occur in 2013, together with you we offer at the altar of the Almighty our prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts of holy faith and freedom for our people, beseeching the Lord for the blessing of continued work, so that God’s truth and national unity would be made firm on our motherland’s soil.

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ! Spiritually united with all of you, on September the 9^th we will begin this year’s Holy Synod of the UGCC. Together with the celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the arrival of your first bishop, we wish to know better the life of our Ukrainian community in this country, with all the successes and challenges with which you live. Thus with holy impatience we await this time of encounter, prayer and sharing with you. We pray, that this Synod will be an occasion for the breath of the Holy Spirit to fill our Church, leading us into the future that lies ahead.

During this important moment in our pilgrim journey towards the Kingdom of God, we appeal to you with the request for prayer and support.  Pray that through the 2012 UGCC Synod all members of our Church will grow in faith and wisdom, always ready to spread the Gospel message of the Lord.

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

In the name of the UGCC Synod of Bishops

+ Sviatoslav

Given at the Patriarchal (Cathedral) Sobor of the Resurrection of Christ, on the 25^th of August, in the year of the Lord 2012, on the day of the holy martyrs Photius and Anicetus.

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Last Updated: 13 June 2022

Protocol 414/2012A
Ain Traz, 30/08/2012

To our sons and daughters in Syria and to the sons and daughters of the Church worldwide
To all persons of good will

FOR SYRIA, RECONCILIATION IS THE ONLY LIFELINE

“Come to a common word between us and you.” (Aal ‘Imran 3:64)
“Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Matthew 5: 9)

Introduction

Eyes and hearts are shedding tears today because the language of violence has overwhelmed all other sorts of language. Weapons are flooding in from all sides to every area; to every hand, hearth and home...Human victims, belonging to various groups, perish, leaving behind them distress and family, social and national tragedies. May God in his mercy receive the victims and bind up the wounded, heal the sick and console the bereaved. In the face of these challenges, there are more and more obstacles in the way of finding humanitarian assistance and delivering it to the needy and homeless.

How can we move towards resolving the crisis? Through this letter we wish once more to call everyone to dialogue; for us to go beyond our injuries, sufferings and bloodshed and be numbered among those who believe in dialogue, reconciliation, and face to face encounter.

This way is the most difficult, but the only reasonable one, as it represents a pledge for the future. In any case it is inevitable, since no group can by any means completely annihilate any other. Violence breeds violence, but dialogue strengthens and fructifies dialogue. Reconciliation, for its part, prepares hearts and minds for further dialogue and reconciliation.

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

JOHNSTOWN, PA – (acrod.org) The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on Thursday, August 30, 2012, elected unanimously the Very Reverend Archimandrite Grigorios Tatsis to be the Diocesan Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA with the title of Bishop of Nyssa. His name was submitted to the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of America, Locum Tenens of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA, following the submission of his candidacy by the diocesan priests at a Special Assembly convened on July 14, 2012 at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. The newly elected bishop will travel to Constantinople for the official ceremonies of announcement and acceptance, known as Mikro and Mega Minima, which will take place at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. His ordination to the episcopacy and enthronement as Diocesan Bishop will take place later, on a date to be determined, at the Carpatho-Russian Cathedral in Johnstown, PA.

His Grace, Bishop-elect Grigorios (Gregory) was born in Charlotte, NC on Dec 7, 1958, with the baptismal name of George, the first of two children of Peter and Antonia Tatsis. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earning a BA degree in Biology (1981) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte earning a MS degree in Biology (1989). Working for more than 20 years in the field of Cardiovascular Research at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, he authored/co-authored over one hundred articles, abstracts, and book chapters.

A true son of the Church, from his early youth Bishop-elect Grigorios served in his home parish of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte, NC in various capacities including altar server, Sunday School teacher for 13 years and in several leadership positions including Parish Council President. He was also a founding member of St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC where he served on the Parish Organizing Committee, as Sunday School teacher for four years, as a member of the choir and as its first parish council president.

After taking part in a mission trip to Alaska sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, Bishop-elect Grigorios felt the calling to pursue his life-long dream of studying for the Holy Priesthood. Leaving his secular job in early 2003, he entered Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA in the Fall of 2003 and graduated in May of 2006 with the Masters of Divinity degree.

Bishop-elect Grigorios was ordained a Deacon at St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC on November 4, 2006 by His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta. He was tonsured a Monk at Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavryta, Greece on January 17, 2007, receiving the name Grigorios with St. Gregory Palamas as his Patron Saint. He was ordained a priest at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Atlanta, GA on January 28, 2007 also by His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta and was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite on the same day. On February 1, 2007, he was appointed as the Ierokyrix (Traveling Preacher) of the Metropolis of Atlanta. On September 14, 2007, he received the offikion (rank) of Confessor at the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Chapel in Atlanta, GA.

Serving in his role as Itinerant Preacher and Confessor, Bishop-elect Grigorios has travelled extensively throughout the Metropolis of Atlanta, where he has led parish retreats, heard confessions and provided spiritual direction to countless numbers of clergy and faithful. Recognizing his affinity for youth ministry and his administrative skills, he was given the responsibility of overseeing all youth programs in the Metropolis of Atlanta.

Bishop-elect Grigorios also served as the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh, NC from December 20, 2010 until May 31, 2011. Since October of 2011, he has served as Dean of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in New Orleans, LA, and as Vicar of the Western Conference of the Metropolis of Atlanta.

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

risu.org.ua - The next Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is to be held in Canada on occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the arrival of the first Greek Catholic bishop in that country. The bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church issued a special  Address to the faithful of Canada stressing that the bishops seek to get to know better the life of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community in that country. “We look forward to the meeting, prayer and communication with the faithful of  UGCC living in Canada in order to assure them of our prayer for them, our respect and love,” reads the document.

“When blessed Mykyta came to Canada in 1912, he saw the efforts of our people to get established in the land where they went through many difficulties and obstacles. These people knew well the traditions and customs of their native land but here they found themselves as if in another world,” reads the address. 

According to the hierarchs of UGCC, Bishop Mylyta  (Budka) in cooperation with the  clergy, monastics and active lay people set about the work of strengthening and development of the Ukrainian Church and community life in Canada with a great evangelic  commitment. Thanks to his efforts and the efforts of his followers, UGCC in Canada achieved a lot during the last century.

“Our Church has developed into the first metropolitanate outside Ukraine. It brought up many bishops, priests, monks and nuns for our Church not only in Canada all over the world. A large number of lay people achieved success in the Canadian society as teachers and lawyers, doctors and engineers, political figures and military officers,” reads the document.

The bishops also expressed gratitude to the faithful of UGCC for “their commitment and faithfulness to the work of God which was felt by our Church especially strongly in the end of 80-s -  beginning of 90-s of the last century when the Lord granted its nation freedom after the long centuries of persecutions.”

“We pray that  this Synod should be used as an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to fill our Church afresh and lead us into the future,” reads the address published by the Information Department of UGCC.      

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

Prot. No. 718

+ BARTHOLOMEW

By the Mercy of God
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome And Ecumenical Patriarch
To the Fullness of the Church
Grace and Peace from the Creator and Sustainer of All Creation
Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

*   *   *
Beloved brothers and children in the Lord,

Our God, who created the universe and formed the earth as a perfect dwelling place for humanity, granted us the commandment and possibility to increase, multiply and fulfill creation, with dominion over all animals and plants.       

The world that surrounds us was thus offered to us as a gift by our Creator as an arena of social activity but also of spiritual sanctification in order that we might inherit the creation to be renewed in the future age. Such has always been the theological position of the Holy Great Church of Christ, which is the reason why we have pioneered an ecological effort on behalf of the sacred Ecumenical Throne for the protection of our planet, which has long suffered from us both knowingly and unknowingly.       

Of course, biodiversity is the work of divine wisdom and was not granted to humanity for its unruly control. By the same token, dominion over the earth and its environs implies rational use and enjoyment of its benefits, and not destructive acquisition of its resources out of a sense of greed. Nevertheless, especially in our times, we observe an excessive abuse of natural resources, resulting in the destruction of the environmental balance of the planet’s ecosystems and generally of ecological conditions, so that the divinely-ordained regulations of human existence on earth are increasingly transgressed. For instance, all of us – scientists, as well as religious and political leaders, indeed all people – are witnessing a rise in the atmosphere’s temperature, extreme weather conditions, the pollution of ecosystems both on land and in the sea, and an overall disturbance – sometimes to the point of utter destruction – of the potential for life in some regions of the world.   

Inasmuch as the Mother Church perceives and evaluates the ensuing dangers of such ecological conditions for humanity, already from the time of our blessed predecessor, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios, established September 1st of each year as a day of prayer for the natural environment. Yet, we are obliged to admit that the causes of the aforementioned ecological changes are not inspired by God but initiated by humans. Thus, the invocation and supplication of the Church and us all to God as the Lord of lords and Ruler of all for the restoration of creation are essentially a petition of repentance for our sinfulness in destroying the world instead of working to preserve and sustain its ever-flourishing resources reasonably and carefully.       

When we pray to and entreat God for the preservation of the natural environment, we are ultimately imploring God to change with mindset of the powerful in the world, enlightening them not to destroy the planet’s ecosystem for reasons of financial profit and ephemeral interest. This in turn, however, also concerns each one of us inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage in our individual capacity and ignorance. Therefore, in praying for the natural environment, we are praying for personal repentance for our contribution – smaller or greater – to the disfigurement and destruction of creation, which we collectively experience regionally and occasionally through the immense phenomena of our time.       

In addressing this appeal, petition and exhortation from the sacred Center of Orthodoxy to all people throughout the world, we pray that our gracious Lord, who granted this earthly paradise to all people dwelling on our planet, will speak to the hearts of everyone so that we may respect the ecological balance that He offered in His wisdom and goodness, so that both we and future generations will enjoy His gifts with thanksgiving and glorification.       

May this divine wisdom, peace and power, which created and sustains and guides all creation in its hope for salvation in the kingdom, always maintain the beauty of the world and the welfare of humanity, leading all people of good will to produce fruitful works toward this purpose. And we invoke His grace and mercy on all of you, particularly those who respect and protect creation. Amen.

September 1, 2012

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237
Web: http://www.goarch.org  - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

27 August 2012

As Patriarch and son of the town of Daraya,¹ where I was born, grew up and was educated in a very good Muslim-Christian atmosphere, my heart is bleeding for the many victims who have been killed there.

That is why I am calling for the realisation of conditions conducive to ending the bloody fighting in Daraya and every other region of Syria.

We declare once again that dialogue, meeting, respect for freedom of opinion and the human dignity of every person, are values on which a renewed Syria can be built and thanks to which the atmosphere of love and harmony, which we experienced and in which we were brought up, can return to Syria.

I have great hope that we Syrians, who are all labouring under the weight of this tragic, bloody situation that has now lasted for eighteen months and more, will and must find all together another way than that of violence, weapons, killings and destruction, because with violence there are no winners, but rather, everyone is a loser, destruction continues, people are killed and the scale of the disaster increases, affecting all citizens.