UGCC head Shevchuk says his Church is now Ukraine’s second largest
Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Photo: 1+1
On March 25, 2026, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, said in an interview with the 1+1 channel that his Church has seen significant growth during the war years. According to him, despite the ongoing conflict, the UGCC is “flourishing” and has increased its size by 50 percent over the past four years.
“Today, in terms of institutional presence, we are the second largest Church in Ukraine,” Shevchuk stated. He also said that Pope Leo XIV had described this growth as “a voice of hope from Ukraine.” “In the most difficult times, we feel that the Lord God is present among you today,” Shevchuk quoted the pontiff as saying.
At the same time, the UGCC leader acknowledged that the Church’s leadership does not fully understand the reasons behind this dynamic. “Perhaps we ourselves do not fully understand where these new figures have come from,” he admitted.
According to Shevchuk, the Church is “attracting new members through its witness,” which makes it “alive” amid the war. He expressed the view that this development reflects a broader shift of the “epicenter of global change” toward Ukraine.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the head of the UGCC had served a memorial service at Filaret’s body in St. Michael’s Cathedral of the OCU.
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