Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Cardinal Mykola Bychok visited Kherson
July 22, 2026
On Monday, 20 July, as part of his pastoral visit to the Odesa Exarchate, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, visited the Parish of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr the Great in Kherson.
The visit began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Mykola together with Bishop Mykhail Bubniy, Exarch of Odesa. Before the Divine Liturgy, the hierarchs were welcomed by the parish’s children and young people. Fr Ihnatiy Moskaliuk, OSBM, parish priest and superior of the Basilian monastery, then invited everyone to join in prayer.
During the Divine Liturgy, the clergy and faithful prayed for Ukraine’s victory and for a just peace. In his homily, Cardinal Mykola shared the Holy Father’s call for an end to wars around the world. He said that Pope Leo XIV continues to pray for Ukraine and thanks the Ukrainian people for their steadfast faith. Addressing the people of Kherson, His Eminence encouraged them not to lose hope and assured them of his continued prayers. He also noted that many people in Australia stand with Ukraine and continue to remember Kherson.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the blessing of water and the renewal of baptismal promises took place. Bishop Mykola then blessed the faithful with the newly blessed water.
Speaking after the visit, Bishop Mykola said that it was very important for him to come to Kherson in person, to support its people, to be close to those who live every day under the threat of shelling, and to share in the suffering that the war has brought upon the city and its residents.
“Today, Kherson is living through some of the deepest wounds of this war, and the Monastery of Saint Volodymyr has become a true stronghold of hope and a place of prayer for the city. It is here that people find spiritual strength and comfort amid the challenges of daily life. I sincerely thank the fathers and brothers for their selfless ministry, their kindness, and their daily prayers for our Kherson,” Cardinal Mykola said.
Photo: Odesa Exarchate
