Metropolitan Borys Co-Consecrates a New Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

On December 18, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with the Rite of Episcopal Ordination was presided over by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, as the principal consecrator. The co-consecrators were Metropolitan Borys Gudziak—the first bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Volodymyr the Great in Paris (2013–2019)—and Bishop Hlib Lonchyna, the outgoing Apostolic Administrator of the eparchy. Numerous bishops and priests of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church in France, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to France, were present at the Liturgy.

In his homily, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized the exceptional significance of this event: “We are now living through a unique and unrepeatable historical moment, filled with God’s presence. For the first time in history, an episcopal ordination of a Ukrainian bishop has taken place here, in Paris.”

The Head of the UGCC noted that all previous bishops sent by the Church to serve in France had been ordained in Canada, Rome, or Ukraine.
“Today, for the first time, the Lord has bestowed the gift of episcopal grace for the faithful of our Church precisely here, in France,” His Beatitude underlined.

In a comment to Zhyve TV following the ordination, Metropolitan Borys reflected on the profound sense of peace that marked the transmission of episcopal responsibility—so different from the way the transfer of power in the world is often accompanied by conflict.

“We witnessed how the primary responsibility for the eparchy was passed from hand to hand in prayer, in the beauty of the liturgy, with smiles, in fraternity, and with the participation of bishops and faithful from different countries who speak different languages—all in peace and joy. This is truly according to God’s way,” Metropolitan Borys said.

In his address, the newly ordained Bishop Ihor recalled the war and suffering in Ukraine, expressed gratitude to his predecessors in episcopal ministry, and thanked all who accompanied him on his journey. He emphasized his vision of a Church that looks ahead and builds its present not solely from the perspective of the past, which can sometimes be mythologized.

“I dream of a Church that views its present from the perspective of the future,” Bishop Ihor stated.

On the previous day, Wednesday, December 17, Metropolitan Borys presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr the Great in Paris. Concelebrating with him were Bishop Ivan Kulyk of Kamianets-Podilskyi, Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, Donetsk Exarch, Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Kharkiv Exarch, as well as Bishop-elect Ihor and clergy who had arrived for the ordination.

In his homily, Metropolitan Borys expressed gratitude to Bishop Hlib Lonchyna for his devoted service over the past seven years, highlighting his readiness to accept the call of the Church and to serve wherever there is greatest need. He encouraged all those present to embrace the same spirit of availability and service.

Following the Liturgy, the Rite of the Naming of the New Bishop took place in the cathedral. It was presided over by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, together with Metropolitan Borys Gudziak and Bishop Hlib Lonchyna.

Two priests of our Archeparchy also took part in this solemn event. Vice-Chancellor Fr. Ruslan Borovyi, who was a classmate of the newly ordained Bishop Ihor at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Lviv, was among the participants. The Archbishop’s liturgical master of ceremonies, Fr. Volodymyr Radko—an incardinated priest of the Eparchy of Paris—also served as one of the masters of ceremonies during the event.