Not all are Happy on the Christmas "Gift"

Last November 29, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Lviv was elevated to become a Metropolitan, and with its Archeparch His Excellency Ihor Vozniak, C.SS.R, promoted into Metropolitan Archbishop. In December 13 and 22, the Eparchies of Ivano Frankivsk and Ternopil will be Elevated in Metropolitan Archeparchies too, But the Russian Orthodox Church are not that "Quite" happy on this Development as it was states on the Article from the site Religious Information Service in Ukraine regarding this Issue


First, let us clarify that i do not Copy paste the whole Article from that site, even if i make a citation. I will only cite some Important message the People are involve here. Just click the link below to read the Article.

Russian Church concerned over Establishment of new Metropolitanates by Greek Catholics

Here is a Quote from their Secretary of  the Department of External Church Affairs,  Fr. Dmytro Syzonenko:

"We are always concerned over activization of Catholics at the territories which are not considered Catholic. Ukraine is not considered a Catholic region. Reforms of the Church structures are an internal matter of UGCC but establishment of metropolitanates is an indication that they strengthen their positions which will inevitably cause tension in the Orthodox-Catholic relations in Ukraine"

Eparch of the UOC - Kyivan Patriarchate comments on Establishment of New Byzantine Catholics Metropolitanates

Another comment from their Eparch His Grace Yevstratii (Zoria):

"It is obvious to everyone that UGCC has a significant number of faithful and clergy in the three Galician regions and its historic presence in that region is considerable. Therefore, it is not surprising that UGCC decided to establish the structural units in Ukraine as it has metropolitanates abroad. The statements of ROC [Russian Orthodox Church] as to complication of the dialogue because of UGCC are just an element of the diplomatic game of Moscow with the Vatican. ROC has used these scary tales of destroyed eparchies, confiscated churches with one purpose, namely, to get something from the Vatican"


Now from the side of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics:

Patriarchate is Adulthood, Growth of Church, not Privilege

Another quote from the Auxiliary Eparch of the newyl promoted Ukrainian Greek Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lviv, His Grace Benedict Aleksiychuk:

"If someone is happy with that, we will be glad, if someone is irritated, we should understand that we can not satisfy everyone. This is an internal development of our church, of our structures"

To make a Summary, on the side of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics, it is obvious, being the largest of all Eastern Catholic Churches comprising 8 Million adherents, it is a must to have this Elevation, specially in the Western part of Ukraine, where Byzantine Catholicism comprised the largest Community there. On the Russian Orthodox, i better ask why the worry?? the Kyivan Orthodox under Filaret makes the right comment: That's a Internal Affair. What did not affect you will not Kill you Hehehe and specially that Area in Galicia has been Catholic since the time of Union of Brest in 1595, and Uzhorod in 1646. Here again the Moscow of all Rus, making a Cock a Doodle Poo Wiw 

For some i am just making my Statements clear, and to clarify, this is not RANTING :P And please do not ever try to expose those History of Uniate "Violence", it has nothing to do with this one, Honestly 

Reminds me of this Article of that Russian Metropolitan Cry Baby, really the Situation there in Ukraine is not that far from over, and the Eastern Rite Catholic Filipino Blogspot will closely look and monitor all this.

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Christmas Present from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

From RISU:

At the hierarchical liturgy in St. Yur’s Cathedral in Lviv, on 29 November, the establishment of the Lviv Metropolitanate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) was proclaimed and Archbishop Ihor (Vozniak) of Lviv was enthroned as Metropolitan of Lviv. The ruling bishop of Lviv will now bear the title “Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv.” St. Yur’s Cathedral was proclaimed to be the cathedral of the Lviv Metropolitanate of UGCC.

The Administrator of the Patriarchal Curia, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of UGCC, Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) read out a letter about the establishment of the Lviv Metropolitanate of UGCC. The document deals with the whole history of UGCC, its difficult path towards the establishment and then, restoration of the structures of the Kyiv-Halych Metropolitanate, legalization of UGCC after the totalitarian regime and return of UGCC to Kyiv.

According to the letter, the Lviv Metropolitanate includes the archeparchies of Lviv, Stryi, Sambir-Drohobych and Sokal-Zhovkva. The Ivano-Frankivsk Metropolitanate includes Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomyia-Chernivtsi eparchies. The Ternopil-Buchach Metropolitanate includes Ternopil-Zboriv and Buchach Eparchies.

Artchbishop Ihor (Vozniak) of Lviv, Eparch of Ivano-Frankivsk, Bishop Volodymyr (Viityshyn) and Eparch of Ternopil and Zboriv, Bishop Vasyl (Semeniuk) have been proclaimed the first metropolitans of the new metropolitanates.

Another existing metropolitanate of UGCC, the Kyiv-Halych Metropolitanate led by Patriarch Sviatoslav has been proclaimed the heir of all the property of UGCC.

The ceremony of the enthronement of Metropolitan of Lviv, Archbishop Ihor (Vozniak) was conducted by the head of UGCC, Patriarch Sviatoslav.

In his address, Patriarch Sviatoslav called the Lviv Metropolitanate the second most important one after the Kyiv-Halych Metropolitanate of UGCC and stressed that the will of all the previous heads of UGCC, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, Patriarch Josef Slipyj, cardinal myroslav-Ivan Lubachivskyi and Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar) has been fulfilled.

The liturgy was attended by all the bishops of UGCC led by Patriarch Sviatoslav, the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson, Apostolic Administrator of Mukachiv of the Greek Catholic Church, Bishop Milan (Shashik).

The metropolitanate in Ivano-Frankisvk will be proclaimed on 13 December. The metropolitanate in Ternopil will be proclaimed on 22 December.

The newly-Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lviv and its Bishops welcome the Patriarch:

Decree on establishing Lviv Metropolitanate:

Enthronement of the new Metropolitan Ihor (Vozniak):

Patriarch's sermon:

Metropolitan Ihor's sermon:

From the ERCF Admin and its contributors, may the Metropolitan and his Metropolitanate last for many years!

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AKATHIST Hymn to Our father among the saints Clement of Rome

Hymns

Troparion (Tone 4)

O God of our Fathers,

Take not away Your mercy from us,

But ever act towards us according to Your kindness,

And by the prayers of Your saints

Guide our lives in peace!

 Kontakion - (Tone 4)

O Clement and Peter,

You are worthy of all praise!

Holy and unassailable strongholds of the Church;

Inspired models of true faith and devotion:

Guard us all through your intercessions!    

For more regarding Pope St. Clement as Pope of Rome, please click here on his Hagiography

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Remember the Holodomor!

JMJ+

On the 26th of November, Ukrainians, Catholics or Orthodox will light a candle remembering those who died during the days when Stalin neglected the agricultural sector in Ukraine and caused widespread hunger that killed 7-10 million Ukrainians in 1932-1933.

I would like you to pray for the souls of those who perished during the Holodomor. Please light a candle in memory of them. You may do it in your parishes, chapels or even your respective homes.

From the ERCF Admin and Contributors that may the souls of those who perished in the Great Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933 rest in peace and may the Great Famine remain as a painful history not only in Ukraine, but also to the world.

In the Ukrainian diaspora, a Panikhida, a Requiem service is usually held to commemorate the Anniversary of the Holodomor in Canada and in the United States. For over the years, Ukrainians in Canada and in the US remembered this horrible event and built monuments to remember their loved ones who died in the Great Famine in 1932-1933.

Memory eternal! Vichnayat Pamyat +

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AKATHIST Hymn to The holy and glorious Great-martyr Catherine of Alexandria

Troparion

Greek usage (Tone Plagal 1)

Let us praise the all-lauded and noble bride of Christ,

the godly Catherine, the guardian of Sinai and its defense,

who is also our support and succour and our help;

for with the Holy Spirit's sword

she hath silenced brilliantly the clever among the godless;

and being crowned as a martyr, she now doth ask great mercy for us all.

Slavic usage (Tone 4)

Thy lamb Catherine, O Jesus,

Calls out to thee in a loud voice:

I love thee, O my bridegroom,

And in seeking thee, I endure suffering.

In baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in thee,

And died so that I might live with thee.

Accept me as a pure sacrifice,

For I have offered myself in love.

By her prayers save our souls, since thou art merciful.

Here is the Link  of the Hagiography of St. Catherine of Alexandria, which Feast was celebrated yesterday.

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Year 2011

2011 was a year of joy and hope in the Eastern Churches with these new leaders:

- Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk (UGCC)

- Major Archbishop Mar George Alencherry (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church)

- Patriarch Bechara Al Rahi (Maronite)

Let us pray for good health, for strength, and for the inspiration for them that they may fulfill their duties in the office as leaders of the Ukrainian, Syro-Malabar and Maronite Churches who are in communion with the Pope of Rome.

Let us pray for the Churches around the world that they may fulfill in their mission to spread the Good News to those who didn't hear it and strength to face challenges inside and outside the Church.

2011 for me is a year mixed with joys and sadness, a colorful year for the Catholics around the world. Let us pray that the year 2012 will be a year of getting started with plans, strategies and projects for the good of the Church and the people around the world.

Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Savior save us!

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Patriarch Kirill's 65th Birthday

On the 20th of November, His Holiness the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus' celebrated his 65th birthday with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow. He is celebrating the Liturgy with the Patriarch of Georgia Ilia I, the Metropolitan of Polish Orthodox Church Sawa, and the other metropolitans and bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.


From the ERCF Moderator and its contributors, may God grant His Holiness the Patriarch many years! May his dream of meeting with the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church come true!

NOTE: This is a blog that promotes the Eastern liturgy, its theology and its spirituality that has been handed from the time when the Churches of Rome and Constantinople are united before the Great Schism in 1054. Although this is a blog that promotes the awareness of our Eastern brothers, bear in mind that we must acknowledge our Orthodox brothers and their culture here and abroad, never to despise for we are equal in the eyes of God yesterday, now and forever.

Until next time!

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