UGCC head: I am a father who brings the Ukrainian world together
Shevchuk said the UGCC has effectively established a patriarchate and already functions as a patriarchal Church, calling official recognition a matter of time.
Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), said a patriarch is a father who brings people together and that his own ministry is aimed at uniting the "Ukrainian world." He made the remarks in an interview with Kyiv Diplomatic magazine.
According to Shevchuk, the UGCC now has a presence throughout Ukraine, including Russian-occupied territories.
"We have overcome the artificial regional identity that some tried to confine to a 'Galician ghetto,'" Shevchuk said.
He maintained that the UGCC has effectively established a patriarchate, even though the Vatican has not granted it the official title. He considers formal recognition only a matter of time.
"A patriarch is a father who brings everyone together. My ministry is likewise aimed at uniting the Ukrainian world," Shevchuk said.
He emphasized that the UGCC is an integral part of the Catholic world.
"We have become a participant in Catholic-Orthodox dialogue and take part in the joint theological commission. The Orthodox recognize that the Catholic Church consists not only of the Roman Church but also of other Eastern Catholic Churches, of which ours is one of the largest. What once caused irritation has now become the norm," he said.
The UGCC head also discussed his Church's international network. According to Shevchuk, more than half of its organizational structures operate outside Ukraine, with over 1,000 parishes and communities worldwide.
He described these communities as "embassies" of the Ukrainian people and urged the Ukrainian government to view the diaspora as an ally, citing Israel's program for bringing Jews back to their historic homeland as an example.
As the UOJ previously reported, Shevchuk had said the UGCC would not accept a peace agreement unless Ukraine regained its territories.
