Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Metropolitan Volodymyr Viytyshyn Makes First Visit to Ukrainian Parishes in Adelaide
May 26, 2026
Last weekend, the faithful of Ukrainian parishes in Adelaide had the opportunity to participate in a truly historic event — the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy presided over by Bishop Volodymyr Viytyshyn, Metropolitan of Ivano-Frankivsk, concelebrated with His Eminence Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne.
This marks the first-ever visit of Metropolitan Volodymyr to Australia, and the first communities he visited during his stay were the Ukrainian parishes in Adelaide.
On Saturday, 23 May, the bishops celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Protection of the Mother of God Church in Wayville. The following day, Sunday, 24 May, on the Feast of Pentecost, Metropolitan Volodymyr presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Sts Volodymyr and Olha Church in Woodville.
On this day, the parish community also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Fr. Zenon Racki, administrator of the Woodville parish. A large number of clergy and faithful gathered for the festive liturgy to congratulate Fr. Zenon on the jubilee of his ministry.
Addressing the jubilarian, Cardinal Mykola thanked the Lord for the gift of Fr. Zenon’s priestly vocation and for thirty years of faithful service to the Church. The Bishop noted that Fr. Zenon’s many years of ministry, his preaching of the Word of God, celebration of the Sacraments, and pastoral care for the faithful in various circumstances of life are a witness to trust in God’s providence and fidelity to the Church. Cardinal Mykola also expressed his prayerful wishes that Christ, the Good Shepherd, would continue to guide Fr. Zenon in his priestly ministry and that the Lord would grant him good health, perseverance, and inspiration for his continued work in Christ’s vineyard.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a memorial service was held for all the fallen heroes of Ukraine. Special prayers were also offered for all those affected by the recent heavy enemy attacks on Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv.
After the common prayer, all gathered in the parish hall for a festive reception, where they had the opportunity to personally greet the bishops, congratulate Fr. Zenon, and share in the joy of the celebration together.
