The Eastern Churches

The Eastern Churches preserve ancient traditions of worship, prayer and Christian life passed down through generations. In its 1964 decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum, the Second Vatican Council affirmed that this heritage belongs to the whole Church and deserves to be cherished and preserved. Eastern and Western Catholic Churches share equal dignity, each expressing the same faith through its own traditions.

The Christian East includes Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Eastern Catholic Churches are in full communion with Rome, while the Orthodox Churches are not currently in full communion with the Catholic Church. These communities share a rich Christian heritage, and the search for unity continues through prayer, dialogue and mutual respect.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church

The Ukrainian Catholic Church, also known as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter.

As a self-governing Church within the Catholic communion, it maintains its own Byzantine liturgy, spirituality and ecclesiastical traditions. Its Eastern identity and communion with Rome are complementary expressions of its Catholic faith.

Our Eastern Roots

Christianity began in the Holy Land. From Jerusalem, the Apostles carried the Gospel to different peoples, establishing communities that developed distinctive ways of celebrating and living their faith.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church belongs to the Byzantine tradition, which developed around Constantinople and later took root in Kyiv. Church tradition associates Saint Andrew the Apostle with the early proclamation of the Gospel in the lands of present-day Ukraine. The historical growth of Christianity is linked to Princess Olha of Kyiv and her grandson, Prince Volodymyr the Great, whose adoption of Christianity in 988 marked a decisive moment in the Christian life of the Ukrainian lands.

Over the centuries, Byzantine worship and spirituality became deeply woven into Ukrainian culture. This heritage continues to shape the Church’s prayer, sacred art and community life.

A Living Tradition in Canada

Ukrainian immigrants brought their faith to Canada in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As they built new lives, they established parishes and communities where their spiritual and cultural traditions could flourish.

Today, Ukrainian Catholic parishes across Canada serve people of many backgrounds. Through worship, education, charitable service and fellowship, they share the riches of Eastern Christianity with each new generation. The Church’s eparchies, the Eastern equivalent of dioceses, support this mission under the care of their bishops.

Features of Our Byzantine Tradition

Liturgical worship
The celebration of the Eucharist is called the Divine Liturgy. Scripture, chant, incense and sacred images draw the faithful into prayer and thanksgiving. Services such as Vespers, or Evening Prayer, and Matins, or Morning Prayer, also form an important part of the Church’s worship.

Monastic life
Monasteries hold a special place in Eastern Christian spirituality. Through prayer, hospitality and spiritual guidance, monks and nuns help the faithful deepen their relationship with God. Monasteries are also places of pilgrimage, particularly during major feast days.

Married and celibate clergy
The Ukrainian Catholic Church welcomes both married and celibate men to the diaconate and priesthood. Marriage takes place before ordination to the diaconate; clergy ordinarily do not marry or remarry after ordination. Bishops are chosen from celibate clergy.

Devotion to the Mother of God
The Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured throughout the Church’s liturgy and spiritual life. A cherished Eastern title is Theotokos, meaning “God-bearer,” which expresses the Church’s faith that her Son, Jesus Christ, is truly God.

Prayer directed towards the altar
In traditional Byzantine worship, the priest and congregation face the altar together. This common direction expresses their shared prayer to God and their journey towards His Kingdom.

Icons and the iconostasis
Icons portray Christ, the Mother of God, the saints and the events of salvation. They invite prayer and contemplation, reminding us of our communion with the saints.

The iconostasis is a screen of icons between the sanctuary and the nave, where the congregation gathers. Its images proclaim the story of salvation and help the faithful contemplate the mystery of God’s presence. At St. Athanasius, our mosaic icons and iconostasis include images of Christ, the Mother of God and our patron, Saint Athanasius.

Synodal leadership
The Ukrainian Catholic Church is led by a Major Archbishop together with its Synod of Bishops. This shared leadership reflects the Eastern tradition of bishops working together to guide the Church’s spiritual and pastoral life in communion with the Pope.

Photo caption: Pope Francis greets His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, at the Vatican on 2 September 2019.