Kiev, Ukraine - 20080226 - Today, February 26, 2008, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Lubomyr, turned 75. A pleasant moment of the day was a greeting from the president of Ukraine, which was brought by Mr. Yurii Bogutskyy, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine. Mr. Bogutskyy reported that for his prominent personal contribution to the spiritual revival of the Ukrainian nation, his long-term ecclesiastical activity, and on the occasion of his 75th birthday anniversary, Viktor Yushchenko has honored His Beatitude with the order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 3 rd degree (Decree of the President of Ukraine № 164/2008).
On occasion of the jubilee from various corners of Ukraine and the world, from Ukrainians and representatives of other nations, clergy and laity, politicians and public figures, youth and older people, came greetings for the Head and Father of the UGCC with the sincerest wishes of generous divine blessings and blessings for subsequent successful guidance of the Church. «We appreciate and thank you for your efforts, directed at interdenominational reconciliation and the development of interchurch dialogue, which is renewing in the Church a visible sign of the unity given by the Lord,» read in particular a congratulatory telegram from the priests and laity of the Horodok deanery of the eparchy of Stryj.As in previous years, the jubilarian conducted this day in a working rhythm: working with documents, writing letters, conducting working meetings, and deciding other modern tasks in matters of leading the Church. All of the ceremonies on the occasion of the 75th birthday and the 50th anniversary of priestly ordination (his priestly ordination took place on March 30, 1958) of His Beatitude Lubomyr are planned to happen in Kyiv on March 2, 2008. On this day at 10.00 in the Church of Saint Basil the Great (Voznesenskiy uzvis, 7) a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in thanksgiving will be celebrated. Then at 18.00 in the Т.H. Shevchenko National Opera of Ukraine (Volodymyrska St., 50) a jubilee evening will be held. On the program of the evening will be the greeting of the president of Ukraine, the cantata-symphony of Stanislav Lyudkevych «Caucasus» on verses of the poem of the same name of T.H. Shevchenko (performers: National Honored Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the Dumka National Honored Academic Chapel Chorus of Ukraine) and at the conclusion a word of thanksgiving by His Beatitude Lubomyr.
Information Department of the UGCC
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