Ukrainian Catholic Church

Description

The Ukrainian Catholic Church was founded in the 10th century, when Saint Vladimir established the Byzantine Christian Church of Constantinople among the Ukrainians. In 1054, the Ukrainian Church followed the Byzantine Church in denying the primacy of the Roman Pope, becoming part of Eastern Orthodoxy.

In 1596, under the Union of Brest, some Ukrainian bishops led their dioceses back into union with Rome, with the provision that their traditional Eastern rites be respected. Not all bishops accepted the return to the Roman fold, though, and the Orthodox Church remained in control of some major cities and regions. In the 19th century, control of Ukraine was split between the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was largely Roman Catholic, and Russia, which was firmly in the Orthodox camp. The Russian czars forced the Ukrainian Catholics under their rule to return to the Orthodox Church. Those under Austrian rule retained their allegiance to the Roman Church. With the Soviet invasion of Ukraine in 1939, Ukrainian Catholic clergy were imprisoned and all religious activity was suppressed. Not until the liberalization of Soviet rule of Ukraine in 1989, culminating in Ukrainian independence in 1991, did the Church return to legal status.

Though it is doctrinally and theologically in communion with Rome, the Ukrainian Catholic Church follows the liturgical traditions inherited from the Church of Constantinople. Under the Union of Brest, the Ukrainians accepted the jurisdictional and spiritual primacy of the Pope but retained the use of their language in liturgy (the Roman Church was still using Latin). They retained their distinct forms of service and the right to appoint their own bishops. Traditionally, kings selected Ukrainian bishops, though today the Pope appoints them.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada traces its history to immigration of Ukrainians in three waves, 1881–1914, 1929–1939 and post-World War II. The majority of immigrants settled in the west, which remains today the location of the majority of members of the Church in Canada. The leader of the Canadian Church, the metropolitan, has his seat (metropolitanate) in Winnipeg.

Other names for this Church: Uniate Church, Greek Catholic Church, Greco-Catholic Church, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Byzantine Rite, Kyivan Catholic Church.

Religious Elements

Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources

The Scriptures and doctrines of the Ukrainian Catholic Church are identical to those of the Roman Catholic Church:

The Bible, comprising Old and New Testaments, venerated as the Word of God.
The doctrine of the Church is promulgated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and as statements of faith in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
The Pope may issue guidance on questions of faith and morals from time to time. When the Pope is speaking or writing ex cathedra (that is, from the chair of Saint Peter), his declarations are taken as dogma and must be accepted and believed by faithful Ukrainian Catholics.

Sacraments

The Church recognizes seven sacraments. Though the rites by which they are administered are different from those of the Roman Catholic Church, the underlying theology is identical in both. The sacraments are the following:

Baptism.
Chrismation (confirmation).
The Eucharist, or Holy Communion: Unlike Roman Catholics, who normally receive Communion in the form of bread only (although the priest consecrates and consumes both bread and wine), Ukrainian Catholics receive the Eucharist in both species, bread and wine.
Penance and reconciliation.
The sacrament (or anointing) of the sick.
Matrimony.
Holy orders.

Moral Code

Ukrainian Catholics find the basis for their moral code in the following:

Natural moral law: Humans, being capable of reason, are ordained by it to do good and avoid sin. Natural law is universal in its precepts, and its authority extends to all humanity.
The law of God: This comprises the old law (the Ten Commandments, or Decalogue) of the Old Testament; and the new law of Jesus Christ, summed up in his new commandment to love one another as He has loved us.

Houses of Worship

Churches following Byzantine Christian traditions usually take the shape of a ship (ship of salvation), a cross or a Greek cross (two cross bars rather than one). Where possible, the altar faces east, the sunrise, representing the light of Christ.
The vestibule, a large entry area, is traditionally the place occupied by the unbaptized catechumens seeking instruction in the faith.
The nave, the main hall, where worshippers gather, faces the sanctuary. At its front is a four-legged table (tetrapod), used for baptisms and weddings.
The sanctuary is at the forward end of the church. It is the most sacred part of the church and is usually an elevated platform. The holy table (altar) is placed centrally in the sanctuary. The sanctuary is separated from the nave by an icon screen, the iconostas, consisting of one or more icons (representations of sacred or sanctified persons).
The roof has one or more domes (signifying heaven), rather than the steeple common to Western churches.

Devotional Practices and Services

The rites of the Church follow the traditions common to the Byzantine Christian Churches. The order of the Mass, as the principal liturgy, differs outwardly very little from the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church, but the prayers and invocations said throughout the Mass vary considerably in following one of three Eastern rites:

The Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is followed for most Sunday masses and other occasions.
The Liturgy of Saint Basil is celebrated on 10 solemn occasions each year.
The Liturgy of the Presanctified is celebrated on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent and from Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week. The bread and wine to be used are sanctified on the preceding Sunday.

Clergy, Organization and Government

The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest Eastern Catholic Church sui juris (able to speak for itself; able to manage its own affairs). It acknowledges the spiritual and jurisdictional authority of the Pope.
The Church has an episcopal form of government, with organizational divisions (eparchies) led by major bishops (archbishops), metropolitans and bishops.
The head of the Church is the major archbishop of Lviv (or Lvov), Ukraine.
A metropolitan or senior bishop may be appointed to lead an ecclesiastical territory. Canada has one metropolitan, whose episcopal seat is Winnipeg. He is head of the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops in Canada. There are five eparchies under his jurisdiction: Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, New Westminster and Toronto.
The Pope consecrates bishops. They, in turn, ordain priests and deacons.

Propagation of the Faith

As this is traditionally a national Church, its evangelization of people has been limited to Ukrainians. The clergy have emigrated with the people and now operate in numerous countries around the world.

Major Celebrations and Observances

Dates on which events are celebrated may vary from year to year according to variations in the liturgical calendar.

Days of Religious Observance

Every Sunday.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross: 14 September.
Saint Michael the Archangel: 8 November.
Fast of Saint Philip: 15 November – 24 December.
Presentation of the Mother of God: 21 November.
Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas): 25 December.
Theophany (Epiphany) of Our Lord: 6 January.
Great and Holy Fast (Lent): 40 weekdays preceding Easter.
Pascha (Easter season or Holy Week).
Ascension of Our Lord: 40 days after Easter.
Pentecost: Sunday, 10 days after Ascension of Our Lord.
Feast of Saints Anthony and Theodosius: 3 May.
Fast of the Apostles Peter and Paul: 29 June.
Transfiguration of Our Lord: 6 August.
Dormition (assumption) of the Mother of God: 15 August.

Dress Requirements

There are no dress requirements for laity. Clergy may be obliged to wear specific habits or articles of clothing.

Dietary Requirements

Ukrainian Catholics may voluntarily fast or abstain from consuming particular foods as a personal sacrifice during Lent and the Fast of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Medical and Health Requirements

The Ukrainian Catholic Church is opposed to abortion, believing the fetus at the earliest stage of life to be fully human and in possession of a soul.
Ukrainian Catholics have no theological or doctrinal objections to organ transplants, blood transfusions or autopsies carried out for legal or scientific purposes. Life may be artificially prolonged when medically appropriate and is intended to aid the patient to recovery.
The Church is opposed to artificial insemination, considering it immoral. It is opposed to sterilization except where it is medically necessary for the health of the patient.

Death and Burial

Ukrainian Catholics, like other Christians, believe that death brings the end of earthly life and the beginning of new life in the Kingdom of God. Consequently, the Christian funeral is a liturgical celebration.
The Order of Christian Funerals prescribes three liturgies, one for the home, one for the church and one for the cemetery. The church celebration will normally be a Mass.
The dying must be given attention and care so that they can live their last moments in dignity and peace.
Burial should preferably take place in the consecrated ground of a Catholic cemetery, whenever possible.
There are no theological or doctrinal objections to cremation, provided that it is not intended to demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.

Other

Other Churches in Canada following the Eastern (Oriental) rite of the Catholic Church include the Greek Melkite Church, the Maronite Catholic Church, the Slovak Catholic Church, the Syrian Catholic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church and the Hungarian Catholic Church. In some cases, the Pope has appointed bishops for the members of these Churches living in Canada, though no parishes or dioceses are currently active.

Sources of Additional Information

http://www.ugcc.org.ua/eng/ — official website of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Lviv, Ukraine.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm — official website of the Vatican: The Catholic Catechism.

http://www.archeparchy.ca/ — official website of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg
233 Scotia Street
Winnipeg, MB R2V 1V7
Phone: (204) 338-7801

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