Vatican again lets OCU approach St. Nicholas' relics

Clergy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine at the relics of Saint Nicholas. Photo: Yurash's Facebook

The Vatican has once again granted representatives of the OCU the opportunity to hold a service at the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. As Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican, Andrii Yurash, reported on Facebook, a so-called Ukrainian liturgy was served in the crypt of the Papal Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari.

According to Yurash, the service was conducted “with the blessing” of Epifaniy Dumenko and was led by OCU clerics Bohdan Huliamov, Ivan Sydor, and Savva Zarytskyi.

“Heartfelt gratitude to the rector of the Papal Basilica of Saint Nicholas and to the prior of the local community of Dominican fathers … for providing the unique opportunity to hold an inspiring Ukrainian liturgy in the cathedral crypt,” Yurash wrote.

He claims that around fifty Italians were present at the service and were “delighted by the depth of the Eastern Christian worship and by the choir’s singing.”

Yurash also called what happened an “exceptional spiritual event” and added that praying at the relics of St. Nicholas became for him an “inspiring beginning of a new year of life.”

As a reminder, in previous years the Vatican has repeatedly granted the OCU access to the papal basilica in Bari. In particular, in December 2024 a similar service took place there with the participation of the head of the OCU, and in May 2025 OCU clerics likewise served a “liturgy” at the relics of St. Nicholas with the support of Ukrainian diplomats.

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