Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Українська греко-католицька церква
AbbreviationUGCC
TypeParticular church (sui iuris)
ClassificationEastern Catholic
OrientationEastern Christianity
TheologyCatholic Theology
PolityEpiscopal
GovernanceSynod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church[1]
PopeFrancis
Major ArchbishopSviatoslav Shevchuk[2]
Parishesc. 3993
RegionMainly: Ukraine
Minority: Canada, the United States, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Lithuania and Argentina
LanguageChurch Slavonic (official); Ukrainian, English, and other regional vernaculars
LiturgyByzantine Rite
HeadquartersCathedral of the Resurrection, Kyiv, Ukraine
FounderMichael Rohoza (as Ruthenian Uniate Church)
Origin988, establishment of the Metropolitanate of Kyiv
1596, Union of Brest
Brest, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Separated fromEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (1596, as Ruthenian Uniate Church)
SeparationsUkrainian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church
Members5.5 million[3]
Other name(s)
  • Ukrainian Catholic Church
  • Ukrainian Greek Church
  • Uniate Church
Official websiteugcc.ua Edit this at Wikidata
St. George's Cathedral in Lviv.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)[a] is a major archiepiscopal sui iuris ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Catholic Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. It is the third-largest particular church in the Catholic Church after the Latin Church and the Syro-Malabar Church. The major archbishop presides over the entire Church but is not distinguished with the patriarchal title. The incumbent Major Archbishop is Sviatoslav Shevchuk.

The church regards itself as a successor to the metropolis that was established in 988 following the Christianization of Kievan Rus' by Grand Prince Vladimir the Great. Following the establishment of the metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus', by the terms of the Union of Brest, the Ruthenian church was transferred from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to the jurisdiction of the Holy See in 1596, thereby forming the Ruthenian Uniate Church. The Union of Brest was a treaty between the Ruthenian Orthodox Church in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, under the leadership of the metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus'—Michael III—on one part, and the Latin Church under the leadership of Pope Clement VIII on the other part.[4]

Following the partitions of Poland, the eparchies of the Ruthenian Uniate Church (Latin: Ecclesia Ruthena unita)[5][6] were liquidated in the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Only the three eparchies that came under Austrian jurisdiction remained of the Brest Union. In 1963, the church was recognized as Ukrainian through the efforts of Yosyf Slipyi.

In 1963, the ordinary (or hierarch) of the church was granted the title of "Major Archbishop". He currently holds the title of "Major archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia". However, the hierarchs and faithful of the church acclaim their ordinary as "Patriarch" and have requested Papal recognition of this honour.

  1. ^ "Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church". GCatholic. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Major Archbishop Sviatoslav: Pope wants Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church to develop and flourish – Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 8 July 2019. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Склад і територія". ugcc.ua. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  4. ^ Church Union of Berestia Archived 31 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Encyclopedia of Ukraine
  5. ^ The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church's Name. St Sophia Church website
  6. ^ Canonical aspects. Encyclopedia of Ukraine


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