50th anniversary of episcopal ordination of Bishop Basil Losten

In his address, Bishop Paul Chomnycky recognized Bishop Basil’s many achievements in his half-century service as bishop, first as auxiliary bishop in Philadelphia (1971-1977) and then for 29 years as eparch of Stamford (1977-2006). Bishop Paul spoke of how Bishop Basil was attentive to the needs of the global Ukrainian Catholic Church by being an active member of the Kyivan Church Study Group (ecumenical dialogue between Ukrainian Catholic Church and Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) and by founding the Chapel of Saints Volodymyr and Olha in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican during celebrations of the First Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine.

After the Moleben, Metropolitan Borys greeted the Jubilarian and in the name of the Head of the Church and the Synod thanked Bishop Basil for his dedicated service to the Ukrainian Catholic Church. “Your efforts and work with international journalists brought the story of our Church to the attention of the globe just as it needed support as it came out from the underground”.

At the celebration of the golden jubilee, special letters of greetings from His Holiness, Pope Francis and His Beatitude, Patriarch Sviatoslav were read. Fr. Edward Young, one of the priests ordained by Bishop Basil, shared some stories about his life and years of service. Additionally, young priests who came from Ukraine and other countries to serve the Stamford Eparchy shared their words of appreciation and gratitude.

In his address, Bishop Basil thanked everyone who joined and prepared the celebration and said he was honored by the many good words, but concluded with a comment on the nature of the priesthood itself.

Here you can find the greetings of His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk

Here are the greetings of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia

by deacon Volodymyr Radko

photo Nazariy Dmyterko

Biographical information

Bishop Vasyl Losten was born on May 11, 1930, in Chesapeake, Maryland, USA. His priestly ordination took place on June 10, 1957. Consecrator: Bishop Kostiantyn Bohachevsky, Metropolitan of Philadelphia.

On May 25, 1971, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Philadelphia (USA), Fr. Basil was ordained a bishop by Metropolitan Ambrose Senychyn.