Date of consecration of Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv announced at Permanent Synod of Bishops

According to the decision of the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), which is taking place near Kyiv, during the international church-wide pilgrimage to the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv to mark the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan-Rus on August 18, 2013, the cathedral will be consecrated.

In a comment to the UGCC Information Department, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the UGCC, said that the consecration of the cathedral does not mean the end of its construction for only the exterior is complete.

“To be able to consecrate the church, according to the norms of the Church, there needs to be an altar, because the consecration of the church lies primarily in the dedication of the altar, the throne,” explains the head of the UGCC.

According to the patriarch, the dedication will be symbolic. “Pilgrims from around the world will be in Kyiv to celebrate the baptism of Rus-Ukraine. The Synod of Bishops will be held at this time so our bishops from around the world will also be in Kyiv. In addition, we expect many guests from the Eastern Catholic Churches in Europe and heads of Episcopal Conferences of Latin Churches,” said the hierarch.