Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
’O Most Holy Theotokos, save us’ — Eparchial Pilgrimage in Canberra
June 10, 2024
From June 8 to 9, Canberra held an Eparchial Pilgrimage. During these days, clergy and faithful from Melbourne, Sydney, Ardeer, Geelong, Brisbane, and Perth gathered at St. Volodymyr’s Church. Local parishioners, led by the administrator of the church, Fr. Wolodymyr Kalinecki, warmly welcomed the pilgrims.
The first day of the pilgrimage began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, after which there was a lot of joint prayer, reflections, spiritual conversations, and friendly communication.
The second day of the Pilgrimage, which fell on Sunday, June 9, also began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, presided over by Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne. During the solemn divine service, Bishop Mykola was co-served by: Fr. Simon Ckuj, Protosynkellos of the Melbourne Eparchy and Parish Administrator in Sydney; Fr. Wolodymyr Kalinecki, parish administrator in Canberra; Fr. Andriy Mykytyuk, Synkellos for Laity and administrator of the Cathedral parish in Melbourne; Fr. Ruslan Babii, administrator of the parish in Ardeer; Fr. Yuriy Tychenok, parish administrator in Geelong; Fr. Stefan Sapun, parish administrator in Brisbane; Fr. Lawrence Foot from Sydney; Protodeacon Edward Kostraby; Deacon Michael Zylan, Chancellor of the Eparchy; and Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko from Melbourne.
Bishop Mykola delivered an inspiring homily in which he paid special attention to the topic of priorities in our lives. “Human life is full of priorities that we set before ourselves as a guide in one or another period of our life. Of course, priorities can be radically different for children, young people, or people of the older generation. However, every believer should have the main priority in life: to reach the kingdom of God. There is nothing more important in life than seeking God’s kingdom,” the bishop emphasised.
At the end of the liturgy, the bishop thanked all the participants and organisers of the pilgrimage, stressing that such events contribute to the revival of the Church in Australia. Afterwards, there was a solemn procession around the church with a copy of the miraculous icon of the Pochaiv Mother of God and the relics of the blessed martyr Volodymyr Pryima and the Pratulin Martyrs, after which Bishop Mykola performed the rite of consecration of water and sprinkled those present with it.
The pilgrimage ended with a delicious lunch prepared by the parishioners of the church of St. Volodymyr.
Since St. Volodymyr’s Parish in Canberra is blessed with the gift of plenary indulgence, parishioners could receive this grace. These two days in Canberra were a great opportunity for spiritual growth and enrichment, a time when Ukrainians from different parts of Australia united in prayer for peace in Ukraine and glorified Almighty God.
