Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Pastoral visit of Bishop Mykola to Tasmania
December 24, 2023
During December 23–24, Bishop Mykola Bychok was on a pastoral visit to the Mission of the Transfiguration of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Hobart, Tasmania. On the eve of Christmas, the bishop visited the faithful of the Melbourne Eparchy to bring them the joyful news of the birth of Christ.
On Sunday morning, Ukrainian Catholics living in Tasmania had the opportunity to join the Bishop’s Christmas Divine Liturgy, which was held in the Chapel of the Ukrainian Community Centre in Hobart.
Addressing the faithful during his sermon, Bishop Mykola noted that the Nativity of Christ is an event thanks to which we can see the almighty God becoming a helpless child. It is at Christmas that we can see the great closeness of God to man. After all, in our everyday lives, it is sometimes extremely difficult for us to imagine how close God can be to a person. We perceive God as someone incomprehensible, immeasurable, and incredible. Christmas itself shows us that the Lord is nearby. “The Lord is born among us to help us in our daily lives, in our worries, and in our experiences, but above all, He is born for us to help us reach the Kingdom of Heaven,” stressed Bishop Mykola.
After the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mykola thanked everyone present for the joint prayer. Therefore, everyone had the opportunity to gather around the table to converse, sing carols, and feel the joy of Christmas on the eve of this great feast.
So, the celebration of Christmas in the Melbourne Eparchy began today on the island of Tasmania in Hobart. We remind you that the schedule of liturgies for Christmas in our other parishes can be found on our webpage in the “Actual” section.
