Prayer, Encounters, and Solidarity: Metropolitan Borys Gudziak in Ternopil–Zboriv Archeparchy
On January 26–27, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak visited the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Ternopil–Zboriv as part of his fraternal visit to Ukraine.
The first day began with prayer at the Marian Spiritual Center in Zarvanytsia, where the Metropolitan and the accompanying delegation became acquainted with the history and pastoral mission of the shrine. In Zarvanytsia, Metropolitan Borys met with internally displaced persons currently residing at the Center. At present, 35 people live there, while more than 170 individuals have received assistance since the beginning of the full-scale war. The hierarch and the delegation also prayed in the local parish church.
Later that day, a meeting took place at the Ternopil Regional Administration with the Head of the Administration, Taras Pastukh, and the Mayor of Ternopil, Serhiy Nadal. The discussion focused on the humanitarian situation in the Ternopil region and the city itself, the challenges caused by the war, and possible areas of cooperation, including at the international level. Participants included Archbishop and Metropolitan Theodor Martynyuk of Ternopil–Zboriv, Auxiliary Bishop Volodymyr Firman, Archbishop Emeritus Vasyl Semeniuk, and Bishop Emeritus Hlib Lonchyna.
Metropolitan Borys also met with Acting Rector Mykhailo Korda, members of the administration, and students of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University. The conversation with students took place in a question-and-answer format. The Metropolitan expressed his support for young people and reflected on the importance of unity in times of trial. Particular attention was given to Catholic social teaching, especially the principle of subsidiarity, as a key to addressing challenges at the local level.
A similar open discussion was held at the Youth Christian Center with young people of the Archeparchy. Participants asked questions about pastoral ministry, spiritual life, and how to preserve inner integrity amid the realities of war. Metropolitan Borys thanked the young people for remaining in Ukraine, noting that “life itself is the denial of death.”
Responding to a question about how to cope with the trauma of war, the Archbishop remarked: “War is the densest concentration of sin. In it there is everything: lies, violence, bloodshed, rape, theft. It is something diabolical… it is a monumental challenge. We do not have the resources to deal with all of this on our own. We, as Christians, know certain truths of the faith: for salvation we need God’s grace. When we allow God to be in us, then everything else has no place. It is better to fight evil by accepting and doing good.”
On January 27, Metropolitan Borys presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Archcathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Ternopil.
During his homily, he shared words of support and hope, addressing the faithful amid the ongoing war. He spoke of the special grace of praying together and expressed gratitude to the bishops of the Ternopil–Zboriv Archeparchy for their invitation and warm hospitality, acknowledging the resilience of the clergy and the faithful.
“It is a special grace for me to pray here with you. I thank your bishops for the invitation and warm hospitality, for your steadfastness, and for the way you endure the terrible trials of war through prayer and faith,” the Metropolitan said.
Reflecting on the Christian understanding of life and death, Metropolitan Borys emphasized that faith opens a perspective that goes beyond earthly existence. “God is not only the God of those who live and die in this world; He is the God of those who will rise again. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living,” the hierarch stressed. He noted that the Church and prayer teach believers to look at what is visible as a path to understanding what lies “beyond this world,” through faith.
In his homily, the Metropolitan also shared impressions from the funeral of two soldiers he encountered upon entering the city, speaking of the profound grief he witnessed. He also expressed his condolences to Fr. Roman Demush on the repose of his father the previous day.
Later that day, together with bishops, clergy, and the accompanying delegation, Metropolitan Borys prayed a panakhyda at the sites of the missile strike of November 19, 2025. He also visited the remains of the apartment where seven-year-old Amelia Gżesko (Hzheshko) and her mother, Oksana, were killed, and met with Amelia’s grandmother.
During the visit, the Metropolitan went to the Saint Jude Thaddeus Pastoral Care Center for the Families of Fallen Soldiers, where he spoke with those who have lost loved ones in the war. Emphasizing Christian hope, he affirmed faith in eternal life and trust that those who have gone before “await us in the Lord.”
The visit concluded with a panakhyda at the cemetery where fallen soldiers are buried.
