Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak Meets Faithful, Volunteers, and the Vulnerable During Visit to the Buchach Eparchy
On January 25, as part of his fraternal visit to the Buchach Eparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak spent a full day in prayer, meetings, and encounters with the Church’s living witness of service amid the realities of war. He was accompanied by Bishop-Emeritus Hlib Lonchyna and a delegation from the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. The delegation was hosted by Bishop Dmytro Hryhorak, O.S.B.M., Eparch of Buchach.
The visit began at the Eparchial Chancery, where the Metropolitan became acquainted with the work of the eparchial structures. The central moment of the day was the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul.
In his homily, Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak expressed his gratitude to Bishop Dmytro Hryhorak and the faithful for the warm welcome and for the opportunity to pray together. He noted that Bishop Dmytro is among the last priests who entered monastic life at a time when the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was forced to live underground.
“Older people remember this; for the younger generation it may seem like an ancient or even forgotten history. But it was a truly great—very great—thing to give oneself to monastic life or to the priesthood at that time,” the Metropolitan said. “The priests, bishops, monks, and nuns who gave themselves to God during those years are before our eyes today; many speak of them, and they are spiritual leaders. Those who held power and carried out persecution, however, have ended up on the garbage heap of history.”
In his homily, the Metropolitan also recalled the fallen soldiers, noting that nearly everyone present likely has someone close who gave his or her life for human dignity, for freedom, and for Ukraine.
“We draw inspiration from Ukraine, from you,” he said. “Ukraine is at the epicenter of global change. Ukrainians remind the world of what truly matters and what is secondary; where good is and where evil is, where truth is and where lies are—and that sometimes, in order to discern this difference, one must pay a very high price.”
Metropolitan Gudziak emphasized that Christians are willing to bear this cost because they know the good God. Despite death, torture, violence, and occupation, he said, “we know that the Lord is with us—and that God’s truth will prevail.”
At the conclusion of the service, he encouraged the faithful to remain united. “Let us hold together—hold fast to the Word of God, to God’s truth, to community, to prayer, to caroling, and to the shared Christmas meal (kutia). All of this binds us together. This tradition has been tested by time; it passed through the Soviet Union, and it will pass through Putin as well.”
Following the service, Metropolitan Gudziak met with young people and volunteer communities affiliated with the cathedral and visited the basement facilities, where active efforts continue to support the military and assist those in need.
During the day, he also visited the future eparchial shelter for internally displaced persons and the elderly, currently being prepared in the building of a former hospital in the town of Zavodske. A particularly meaningful stop was the Eparchial House of Mercy, which has become a home for people who have lost their homes, vulnerable families raising children with disabilities, and internally displaced persons with serious health conditions.
The delegation also visited the eparchial bakery, which operates year-round and produces approximately 250 loaves of bread and 450–500 buns daily. The guests were warmly welcomed by the residents of the family-type orphanage “The Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple,” under the care of Sister Josaphata.
Metropolitan Gudziak also visited the Chortkiv Cantors’ and Catechetical Academy and the historic Buchach College of St. Josaphat. A separate meeting took place with volunteers of the Buchach region, during which the Metropolitan learned about their ongoing work.
The day included with symbolic visits to the Museum of the Repressed and to the former site of imprisonment of Blessed Hieromartyr Vasyl Velychkovsky.
