Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: a Church sui iuris of the Constantinopolitan (Byzantine) tradition. Status, head, countries, books, history, and sources.
- Tradition (CCEO can. 28 §2)
- Constantinopolitan (Byzantine) tradition (Source: CCEO, vatican.va ↗)
- Catechism (CCC 1203)
- Byzantine (Source: Catechism, vatican.va ↗)
- Canonical status
- Major Archiepiscopal Church sui iuris (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Head
- Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk (as listed by GCatholic on 22 October 2026) (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Historical centre
- Kyiv (see of the Major Archbishop since 2005; historical centre of the Kyivan Metropolia) (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Present see
- Kyiv (major archiepiscopal see) (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Liturgical books
- Byzantine service books (Hieratikon/Služebnik for the Divine Liturgies of St John Chrysostom and St Basil and the Presanctified; Horologion, Octoechos, Triodion, Pentecostarion, Menaion). Editions and translations are approved by each Church's own authority; no single edition is common to all Byzantine Churches. Generic book names only: each Church's own authority approves its editions and translations, and no edition is named here until verified. (Source: Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh ↗)
- Own jurisdiction in
- Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States (20) (Source: GCatholic ↗) As listed on 22 October 2026.
- Approximate historical heartland
- Galicia (western Ukraine) and SE Poland (Poland, Ukraine) (Source: CNEWA ↗)
Where it has its own jurisdiction
Showing the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, present jurisdictions: 20 countries.
Countries where the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has its own jurisdiction: 20 countries.
Countries with the Church's own jurisdiction; faithful elsewhere are served by local ordinaries.
Countries shaded (20)
- Argentina
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States
Source: GCatholic ↗, as listed on 22 October 2026.
Borders are illustrative (Natural Earth, de facto lines) and imply no position. Shading shows where a Church has its own jurisdiction, not where all its faithful live. Made with Natural Earth ↗ (public domain). Sources and method.
History
- 1595 to 1596 Union of Brest (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1692 and 1700 Przemyśl (1692) and Lviv (1700) adhere (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1839 and 1875 Union abolished in Russian Empire (1839); Kholm 1875 (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1946 Pseudo-synod of Lviv; Church suppressed (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1963 Slipyj released; title Major Archbishop of Lviv (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1 December 1989 Communities allowed to register (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 21 August 2005 See moved to Kyiv; title 'Major Archbishop of Kyiv and Halych' (Source: CNEWA ↗)
Dates are given as ranges or centuries where the sources give no single date.
Texts and resources
Every resource is an outside link; nothing here is hosted by Bibliotheca Catholica. What the badges mean.
- Liturgies Eastern and Western, vol. I: Eastern Liturgies (F. E. Brightman, 1896) ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
published 1896 (pre-1931) - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Greek Rites' ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
published 1907 to 1912 - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Liturgy of St. Basil' ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
1907 to 1912 - Official Church site (link only) ↗ Rights: Link only
copyright of the publishing Church; no open licence found
In the library
- John Chrysostom The Divine Liturgy most often served bears his name
- Basil the Great The Liturgy of Saint Basil
- Theodore the Studite Byzantine monastic tradition
- De Spiritu Sancto, Basil the Great Read: On the Holy Spirit
- Homilies on Romans, John Chrysostom Read: Homilies on Romans
Main sources: ugcc.ua ↗, CNEWA ↗. Checked 2026-10-26. Sources and method.