Metropolitan Borys Gudziak Joins Independence Day Prayer and Celebrations in Kyiv

August 25, 2026

On August 23-24, 2026, Archbishop and Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia participated in events in Kyiv commemorating the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence. On the eve of Independence Day, Metropolitan Borys attended the National Prayer Breakfast, and on August 24, he presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.

National Prayer Breakfast

The National Prayer Breakfast took place in Kyiv on August 23. The annual interfaith gathering brought together representatives of Churches and religious organizations, government officials, members of the military, chaplains, families of fallen Ukrainian heroes, civic leaders, and international guests.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was represented by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, and Archbishop and Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia. Archbishop and Metropolitan Fülöp Kocsis of Hajdúdorog also participated in the gathering.

According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, more than 1,500 people attended the event, including 670 international guests from 17 countries. Among those present were President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal, U.S. senators and members of Congress, foreign representatives, government officials, parliamentarians, Ukrainian service members, civic leaders, and clergy.

The National Prayer Breakfast provided an opportunity for common prayer for Ukraine, peace, and justice. It also served as a place of encounter for representatives of different Churches, countries, and international communities.

Before the main program began, representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations addressed those present. Among them were His Beatitude Sviatoslav; Metropolitan Epiphanius, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine; and Valeriy Antoniuk, president of the All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists. The participants then prayed the Lord’s Prayer together.

In his remarks, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized the particular importance of the participation of religious leaders from other countries. Through them, the witness of Ukraine’s experience of war and its struggle for freedom can reach large religious communities around the world.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that prayer unites people in difficult moments regardless of their religious affiliation, political views, profession, or nationality. He called on the international community not to look away from Ukraine and not to allow the world to become accustomed to the war.

The President also asked those present to pray for three important intentions: for those held in captivity, for those currently fighting, and for peace in Ukraine.

A special place in the hall was reserved for a Table of Remembrance surrounded by empty chairs. It served as a symbol of remembrance for those who have been killed, taken captive, or remain missing, as well as for all Ukrainians whose families continue to await their return.

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Independence Day

On the following day, August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, Archbishop and Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv.

Concelebrating with Metropolitan Borys were hierarchs of the Hungarian Greek Catholic Church: Archbishop and Metropolitan Fülöp Kocsis of Hajdúdorog and Bishop Ábel Szocska of the Eparchy of Nyíregyháza.

At the beginning of his homily, Metropolitan Borys said that, with the blessing of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, he and the Hungarian hierarchs had the special joy of praying with the faithful on Independence Day in the Patriarchal Cathedral — a church that continues to grow not only as a building but also as a community and a sign of God’s great love for the Ukrainian people.

During the Liturgy, prayers were offered for Ukraine’s defenders, for the eternal repose of those who have fallen or been innocently killed, and for chaplains, rescuers, medical workers, journalists, volunteers, and benefactors. The faithful also prayed that world leaders might have the courage and wisdom to carry out God’s will and for the continuing conversion of every human heart.

“We are not alone. We know that Christ is risen and that He has conquered death,” Metropolitan Borys said, encouraging the faithful not to doubt God’s love even amid war and indescribable trials.

On behalf of Ukrainians in the United States, as well as the bishops, clergy, religious, and faithful, the Metropolitan expressed his profound respect for all those in Ukraine who demonstrate sacrificial love for their neighbors — especially those who give their lives for their friends.

Metropolitan Borys also shared personal memories of Kyiv in the late 1980s, when he lived and studied in the Ukrainian capital as a young American scholar. He recalled the stagnation of the Soviet era and the struggle for the freedom of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and for Ukraine’s independence.

Today, he said, Ukrainians better understand what generations of their ancestors endured as they sacrificed their lives, century after century, for the “precious pearl of the God-given dignity and freedom of the human person.”

Metropolitan Borys called on Ukrainians, despite the natural exhaustion and horrors of war, to preserve their Christian identity and not allow the enemy to lead them away from the path of faith — faith in God’s truth, God’s love, and their ultimate victory.

The Metropolitan expressed gratitude to Ukraine’s bishops, priests, religious, and faithful who remain close to those who are suffering, offering service, assistance, and consolation. Their witness, he emphasized, reaches far beyond the borders of Ukraine.

He also reflected on the spiritual and civilizational significance of Ukraine’s struggle. At a time when the existence of objective truth is increasingly denied, Ukrainians testify with their lives that truth cannot be negotiated, bought, or sold, and that there is a clear distinction between truth and falsehood.

Metropolitan Borys thanked Ukraine for this witness and emphasized that democracy, freedom, and the virtues connected with social, civic, and international life require great effort, sacrifice, and responsibility.

Addressing Ukrainians in the United States, Canada, Europe, and throughout the world, Metropolitan Borys thanked them for their prayers, their assistance to Ukraine, and their efforts to share the truth about the war. At the same time, he urged them not to reduce their support but to strengthen it.

“Do not diminish your solidarity; instead, strengthen it,” he said, emphasizing that Ukrainians abroad are called to pray more, offer a stronger witness, and give more of themselves in support of those in Ukraine who are sacrificing their health, their homes, and even their lives for God’s truth and the God-given dignity of the human person.

Independence Day, Metropolitan Borys continued, reminds Ukrainians not only of the gift of freedom but also of its tremendous cost — a cost now being borne first and foremost by the people of Ukraine.

Concluding his homily, Metropolitan Borys called on the faithful to pray with confidence that Ukraine’s path leads toward the affirmation of truth and faith and toward the recognition of Christ, who remains with His people even in their darkest hours.