Fragment of relics of St. John the Baptist to be passed to basilica in Ternopil region

A fragment of the relics of St. John the Baptist will be passed to the Basilica of the Birth of the Mother of God in the village of Ulashkivtsi of Chortkiv District, Ternopil Oblast on April 7. On the same day, the pilgrims visiting the church will have a chance to receive full papal absolution. The shrine will stay in the basilica permanently, the rector, Fr. Teodozii Kretsul (Order of Saint Basil the Great), told our RISU correspondent.

"The monastery asked a canonist of the Papal Basilica Maria Maggiore in Rome, Bishop Irynei Bilyk, to find the relics and pass a fragment of it. The hierarchical liturgy with the participation of Bishop Bilyk is to start at noon. The meeting will start probably a bit later," said the rector of the basilica.

There are several conditions for the absolution.

"The absolution may be given to persons who will visit the church on all the deiparous feasts and on the Day of Birth of John the Baptist. The other conditions are the confession, Holy Eucharist and the intention of the Holy Father, his prayer," explains Fr. Kretsul.  

One will have opportunities to see the relics in the monastery church in Ulashkivtsi not only on the mentioned feasts but also on other days when the basilica is open.

In answer to the correspondent's question about the initiative of the passing of the shrine, the rector explained that despite the fact that now both the monastery and basilica bear the name of the Birth of the Mother of God, in the old days, the monastery bore the name of the Birth of John the Baptist.