On Tuesday, July 19, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met in Kyiv with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink. The meeting took place at the ambassador’s request.
Ms. Brink thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav for the opportunity to hold a meeting, which is taking place in the context of meetings with representatives of all Churches and religious organizations of Ukraine as an ambassador starting a diplomatic mission in Ukraine, the UGCC press service reports.
During the conversation, the ambassador expressed interest in the life of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. She noted that the Church is very active, particularly in the conditions of war, in supporting the people who have suffered from it. Bridget Brink also noted that the UGCC is present and proactive in the USA, which means that it is a global Church that unites the Ukrainian diaspora from all over the world. According to the envoy, this is why the church’s role today is special, compared to other Churches and religious organizations.
The head of the UGCC thanked Ms. Brink for being in Kyiv: “Welcome to Kyiv! Thank you that the U.S. Embassy and its employees are back to work in the capital of Ukraine. This is a very important sign of support for us.” His Beatitude Sviatoslav also thanked the USA for supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people at a difficult time and doing everything to ensure that Ukrainians can truly live through a difficult stage of their history in a dignified manner.
Therefore, the parties talked about the history of the Church and the ecumenical situation in Ukraine. Ms. Brink showed interest in relations and the way of cooperation in the context of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations.
In the end, the UGCC Primate emphasized that Ukraine, in particular Catholics of Ukraine, are expecting the Pope’s arrival, hoping that the visit will take place as soon as possible.
Earlier, Bridget Brink met with the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, as well as with the head of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Onufriy.
