Metropolitan Epiphanius, Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Visits St. Josaphat Seminary

February 10, 2025

On February 8, 2025, Metropolitan Epiphanius, along with his delegation, visited St. Josaphat Seminary and the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, D.C. As part of the visit, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak introduced participants of the UGCC Diplomacy and Communications program and shared insights with Metropolitan Epiphanius on the history, current challenges, and future prospects of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United States.

The visit concluded with a joint prayer, underscoring the importance of unity and collaboration between Ukrainian Churches on the international stage. This meeting represented another step in strengthening dialogue between the Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the U.S., both of which are committed to supporting the Ukrainian diaspora and reinforcing Ukraine's spiritual resilience.

Metropolitan Epiphanius expressed his gratitude to Metropolitan Borys for the warm welcome and reaffirmed his commitment to continued cooperation in supporting Ukrainian statehood and resisting aggression. "When we work together, we become a great force capable of overcoming any challenge," he stated.

The following day, on February 9, at the invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak participated in the Divine Liturgy at St. Andrew's Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA in Silver Spring, Maryland. Among the distinguished guests were Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova; former First Lady of Ukraine, Kateryna Yushchenko; People's Artist of Ukraine, Oksana Bilozir; as well as numerous parishioners and guests.