On their recent visit to Rome, the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church donated a series of books on Kyivan Christianity to the Pontifical Oriental Institute. The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) was instrumental in the preparation and publication of the series.
Vice-Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) Prof. Ihor Skochylias, Fr. David Nazar, S.J., Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, and Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, stand by the book series prepared by UCU and presented to the institute.
The delegation from Ukraine to the institute included Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the bishops of the synod, and a group of benefactors of UCU led by Prof. Ihor Skochylias, UCU’s Vice-Rector for Research.
At the official ceremony presenting the books, Patriarch Sviatoslav said:
“We understand that today the time has come when the Eastern Churches, in particular the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, not only can receive something from you. But today we are also called to give something of ourselves. I recall how, when we all together celebrated the centennial of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Father-Rector [David Nazar, S.J.] addressed all the eastern patriarchs and major archbishops with a request to help the Pontifical Oriental Institute progress to a new level. I then promised: ‘Father-Rector, we will be able to do something on our part. We will be glad to support you.’
“Today Father-Dean [Georges-Henri Ruyssen of the institute’s Faculty of Canon Law] mentioned that as of now three of our professors are already teaching for you, but today we want to give you something more. We did not come to you today with empty hands. Before me is a new series of scholarly materials. We call this series ‘Kyivan Christianity.’ You know that today research in Kyivan Christianity is at an exceptionally important moment, which has very important significance not only for our Church but, in particular, it has very important significance in the ecumenical dimension. For when we say that we need to look for what unites us with our Orthodox brothers, we must go to the sources, ad fontes. We say that the path to unity among Christians in Ukraine leads to Sophia of Kyiv, to our source, to Kyivan Christianity,” explained Patriarch Sviatoslav.
Source: Press Service of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church
