# Catholic Church in Ukraine > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Catholic_Church_in_Ukraine > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Catholic_Church_in_Ukraine.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ukraine > Source revision: 1324450658 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Catholic Church in Ukraine" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Catholic Church in Ukraine St. George's Cathedral, Lviv Type National polity Classification Catholic Church Orientation European Polity Episcopal Pope Leo XIV Major Archbishop (UGCC) Sviatoslav Shevchuk Archbishop (Latin) Mieczysław Mokrzycki Bishop (RGCC) Nil Lushchak (Apostolic administrator) Region Ukraine Language Church Slavonic, Ukrainian Part of a series on the Catholic Church by country Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Kazakhstan Korea North Korea South Korea Kyrgyzstan Laos Macau Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Timor-Leste Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Vietnam Middle East Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Cyprus Georgia Abkhazia Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Palestine Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria Turkey United Arab Emirates Yemen Europe Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Great Britain England and Wales Scotland Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kosovo Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Ukraine North America Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States Oceania Australia Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Catholic Church portal v t e The **Catholic Church in Ukraine** ([Latin](/source/Latin_language): *Ecclesia Catholica in Ucraina*; [Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainian_language): Католицька церква в Україні, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Ukrainian): *Katolytska tserkva v Ukraini*) is part of the worldwide [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church), under the spiritual leadership of the [Pope](/source/Pope) in [Rome](/source/Rome). Catholics make up 13-14% of the [population of Ukraine](/source/Demographics_of_Ukraine).[1][2] The majority of Catholics (80%) in [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine) belong to the [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ukrainian_Greek_Catholic_Church) and [Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ruthenian_Greek_Catholic_Church) ([Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo](/source/Greek_Catholic_Eparchy_of_Mukachevo)), while significant numbers of others belong to the [Latin Church](/source/Latin_Church_in_Ukraine) and [Armenian Catholic Church](/source/Armenian_Catholic_Church).[3] ## History and data The Catholic Church in Ukraine consists of members of the [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ukrainian_Greek_Catholic_Church) as well as the [Latin Church](/source/Latin_Church), [Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo](/source/Greek_Catholic_Eparchy_of_Mukachevo), and the [Armenian Catholic Church](/source/Armenian_Catholic_Church). The majority of Ukrainian Catholics belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The Latin Church in the territories of modern Ukraine has been strongly associated with Poland and [Poles](/source/Polish_people), but the church has emphasized a Ukrainian identity since the nation's independence from the Soviet Union. The history of the Catholic Church in modern Ukraine starts as early as the 10th century when Christianity in Ruthenia was established as a state religion in 988 taking place before the [East–West Schism](/source/East%E2%80%93West_Schism). While records of Christians and Christian temples in the Medieval state predate the date. In mid-10th century, Kyiv was visited by a mission that was led by bishop [Adalbert of Magdeburg](/source/Adalbert_of_Magdeburg) out of [Trier Monastery](/source/St._Maximin's_Abbey%2C_Trier). Following the schism, the Ruthenian Church which was brought to Kyiv by the [Byzantine Greeks](/source/Byzantine_Greeks) ended up among Eastern Orthodox Churches. After annexation of the [Kingdom of Ruthenia](/source/Kingdom_of_Ruthenia) by the [Kingdom of Poland](/source/Kingdom_of_Poland) in course of the [Galicia–Volhynia Wars](/source/Galicia%E2%80%93Volhynia_Wars) in Lviv was established the [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Lviv) in the 14th century. In mid-15th century Metropolitan of Kyiv [Isidore](/source/Isidore_of_Kiev) attempted to unite the Ruthenian Church with the Catholic world by attending the [Council of Florence](/source/Council_of_Florence). Due to the conflict with the [Grand Duchy of Moscow](/source/Grand_Duchy_of_Moscow), in 1458 the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople [Isidore II](/source/Isidore_II_of_Constantinople) reorganized the Ruthenian Church moving its metropolitan see to [Vilnius](/source/Vilnius). Until 1480, the metropolitan see of the Church was held by a metropolitan bishop appointed by the Pope including [Gregory the Bulgarian](/source/Gregory_the_Bulgarian) and [Misail Pstruch](/source/Misail_Pstruch). In 1595, there was signed the [Union of Brest](/source/Union_of_Brest) which officially united the Ruthenian Church with the Catholic Church accomplishing the intent of Metropolitan Isidore. Following [partitions of Poland](/source/Partitions_of_Poland), in 1839 in Polotsk pressured by the Russian government all the bishops of the [Ruthenian Uniate Church](/source/Ruthenian_Uniate_Church) signed the union with the [Russian Orthodox Church](/source/Russian_Orthodox_Church), while dioceses of Eastern rite that became part of the [Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria](/source/Kingdom_of_Galicia_and_Lodomeria) in the [Austrian Empire](/source/Austrian_Empire) were reorganized as Greek-Catholic Church. In 1630, a bishop of [Armenian Apostolic Church](/source/Armenian_Apostolic_Church) [Mikołaj Torosowicz](/source/Miko%C5%82aj_Torosowicz) also signed a union with the Catholic Church establishing Armenian Catholic diocese of Lwow. In 1646, another [Eastern Orthodox diocese of Mukachevo](/source/Greek_Catholic_Eparchy_of_Mukachevo) signed the [Union of Uzhhorod](/source/Union_of_Uzhhorod) and for sometime was guided by the [Archbishop of Eger](/source/Archbishop_of_Eger) in Hungary. In 2001, Ukraine was visited by [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II), who held official and informal meetings in [Kyiv](/source/Kyiv) and [Lviv](/source/Lviv).[4] Communities from both the [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ukrainian_Greek_Catholic_Church) and the [Latin Church](/source/Latin_Church) warmly greeted the Pope. Additionally, Non-Catholic religious communities publicly expressed a hope that the visit would encourage a spiritual and cultural renewal in the country which has been troubled by economic and social problems.[5] [Caritas Ukraine](/source/Caritas_Ukraine) is the charity of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, while [Caritas-Spes Ukraine](/source/Caritas-Spes) is the official charity organisation of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine. Both organisations have become major humanitarian actors, providing aid to millions of people following the [Russian invasion of Ukraine](/source/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine) in 2022. Among the Catholics of Ukraine there are [Ukrainians](/source/Ukrainians), Poles, [Czechs](/source/Czechs), [Hungarians](/source/Hungarians), [Filipinos](/source/Filipinos) and other peoples. ## Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Main article: [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ukrainian_Greek_Catholic_Church) The [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church](/source/Ukrainian_Greek_Catholic_Church) is a Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See. The ordinary (or hierarch) of the church holds the title of Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych and All Ruthenia, though the hierarchs and faithful of the church have acclaimed their ordinary as "Patriarch" and have requested Papal recognition of, and elevation to, this title. Major archbishop is a unique title within the Catholic Church that was introduced in 1963 as part of political compromise. Since March 2011, the head of the church is Major Archbishop [Sviatoslav Shevchuk](/source/Sviatoslav_Shevchuk). - Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lviv - St. Andrew's Church in Lviv ## Latin Catholic Church in Ukraine Main article: [Latin Church in Ukraine](/source/Latin_Church_in_Ukraine) Roman-Catholic parish in Transcarpathia region of Ukraine The present Archbishop for the Latins is [Mieczysław Mokrzycki](/source/Mieczys%C5%82aw_Mokrzycki) (ordained on 29 September 2007 by [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI)).[6] Roman Catholic Diocese and Decanates in Ukraine The [Latin Church in Ukraine](/source/Latin_Church_in_Ukraine) had in 2007; 905 communities, 88 monasteries, 656 monks and nuns, 527 priests, 713 churches (74 under construction), 39 missions, 8 educational institutions, 551 Sunday schools, 14 periodical editions.[7][8] ### Latin Catholic cathedrals in Ukraine - [Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral](/source/Sts._Peter_and_Paul_Cathedral%2C_Kamianets-Podilskyi), in [Kamyanets-Podilsky](/source/Kamyanets-Podilsky) - [Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary](/source/Cathedral_of_the_Assumption_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary%2C_Kharkiv) in [Kharkiv](/source/Kharkiv) - [Merciful Father Co-Cathedral](/source/Co-Cathedral_of_the_Merciful_Father%2C_Zaporizhzhia), in [Zaporizhzhia](/source/Zaporizhzhia) - [Saint Sophia Cathedral](/source/Saint_Sophia_Cathedral%2C_Zhytomyr), in [Zhytomyr](/source/Zhytomyr) - [St. Alexander Co-Cathedral](/source/Co-Cathedral_of_St._Alexander%2C_Kyiv), in [Kyiv](/source/Kyiv) - [Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral](/source/Saint_Peter_and_Paul_Cathedral%2C_Lutsk), in [Lutsk](/source/Lutsk) - [Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary](/source/Cathedral_Basilica_of_the_Assumption%2C_Lviv), in [Lviv](/source/Lviv) - [Cathedral of St. Martin of Tours](/source/St._Martin_of_Tours_Cathedral%2C_Mukachevo), in [Mukacheve](/source/Mukacheve) - [Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral](/source/Assumption_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary_Cathedral%2C_Odesa), in [Odesa](/source/Odesa).[9] - [St. Nicholas Roman Catholic church](/source/St._Nicholas_Roman_Catholic_Church%2C_Kyiv) in Kyiv. - [Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, Lutsk](/source/Saint_Peter_and_Paul_Cathedral%2C_Lutsk) - [Saint Sophia Cathedral, Zhytomyr](/source/Saint_Sophia_Cathedral%2C_Zhytomyr) - Church of St. Nicholas in the city of Kamianske - St. Joseph's Church in Dnipro - Church of Christ the King of the Universe in the city of [Zvyahel](/source/Zviahel) ## Hierarchy See: [List of Catholic dioceses in Ukraine](/source/List_of_Catholic_dioceses_in_Ukraine) ## See also - [Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Lviv) - [Superior Institute of Religious Sciences of St. Thomas Aquinas](/source/Superior_Institute_of_Religious_Sciences_of_St._Thomas_Aquinas) - [Ukrainian Catholic University](/source/Ukrainian_Catholic_University) - [Granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine](/source/Granting_of_autocephaly_to_the_Orthodox_Church_of_Ukraine) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_1-0)** ["Релігія і церква в українському суспільстві: соціологічне дослідження"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211204084352/https://razumkov.org.ua/uploads/article/2019_Religiya.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](https://razumkov.org.ua/uploads/article/2019_Religiya.pdf) (PDF) on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_2-0)** ["Релігія і церква в українському суспільстві: Результати соціологічного дослідження"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211204084350/https://razumkov.org.ua/uploads/socio/kharkiv_2020.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](https://razumkov.org.ua/uploads/socio/kharkiv_2020.pdf) (PDF) on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-KIIS2022_3-0)** ["Press releases and reports - Dynamics of religious self-identification of the population of Ukraine"](https://kiis.com.ua/?lang=eng&cat=reports&id=1129). [Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS)](/source/Kyiv_International_Institute_of_Sociology). August 5, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *Ukraine Remembers Visit of John Paul II, [Zenit News Agency](/source/Zenit_News_Agency), June 2006* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Ukraine responds to the Papal Visit, Religious Information Service of Ukraine* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Catholic Hierarchy Portal News](http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmokr.html) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-parg_7-0)** *Parafiyalna Gazeta (Roman Catholic newspaper), N 24, December, 2007, in Ukrainian* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Roman Catholicism in Ukraine, Religious Information Service of Ukraine web-site* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [GCatholic Directory](http://www.gcatholic.org/churches/data/cathUA.htm) ## External links - [The Latin Church in Ukraine](http://www.rkc.lviv.ua/) - [Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine](https://nunciaturekyiv.org) - [OFM in Ukraine](http://www.ofm.org.ua/) v t e Catholic Church in Ukraine Hierarchy, including ecclesiastical circumscriptions Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Major archeparchy Kyiv–Galicia: Sviatoslav Shevchuk Metropolitan archeparchies Kyiv: Sviatoslav Shevchuk Lviv: Ihor Vozniak Ivano-Frankivsk: Volodymyr Viytyshyn Ternopil–Zboriv: Teodor Martynyuk Eparchies Buchach: Dmytro Hryhorak Chernivtsi: Yosafat Moschych Kamyanets-Podilskyi: Ivan Kulyk Kolomyia: Vasyl Ivasyuk Sambir–Drohobych: Yaroslav Pryriz Sokal–Zhovkva: Petro Loza Stryi: Taras Senkiv Archiepiscopal exarchates Donetsk: Maksym Ryabukha Kharkiv: Vasyl Tuchapets Krym: Mykhaylo Bubniy (Archiepiscopal Administrator) Odesa: Mykhaylo Bubniy Lutsk: Yosafat Hovera Curial and auxiliary bishops Volodymyr Firman (Ternopil–Zboriv) Petro Holiney (Kolomyia) Volodymyr Hrutsa (Lviv) Andriy Khimyak (Kyiv) Bohdan Manyshyn (Stryi) Yosyf Milyan (Kyiv) Mykola Semenyshyn (Ivano-Frankivsk) Stepan Sus (Curial Bishop) Bishops emeritus Iryney Bilyk (Buchach) Mykhaylo Koltun (Sokal–Zhovkva) Stepan Meniok (Donetsk) Vasyl Semeniuk (Archbishop) (Ternopil–Zboriv) Defunct circumscriptions Eparchy of Zboriv Eparchy of Volodymyr and Brest Eparchy of Lutsk and Ostroh Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church Eparchy sui iuris Mukachevo: Teodor Matsapula Auxiliary bishop Nil Lushchak (Mukachevo) Episcopal Conference of Ukraine of the Latin Church Metropolitan archdiocese Lviv: Mieczysław Mokrzycki Dioceses Kamyanets-Podilskyi: Eduard Kava Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia: Pavlo Honcharuk Kyiv-Zhytomyr: Vitaliy Kryvytskyi Lutsk: Vitaliy Skomarovskyi Mukachevo: Mykola Luchok Odesa-Simferopol: Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk Auxiliary bishops Leon Malyi (Lviv) Jacek Pyl (Odesa-Simferopol) Jan Sobilo (Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia) Radoslaw Zmitrowicz (Kamyanets-Podilskyi) Oleksandr Yazlovetskiy (Kyiv-Zhytomyr) Bishops emeritus Marian Buczek (Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia) Leon Dubrawski (Kamyanets-Podilskyi) Antal Majnek (Mukachevo) Markijan Trofimiak (Lutsk) Armenian Catholic Church Non-metropolitan archeparchy Lviv: vacant Ordinariate for Faithful of the Eastern Rite Eastern Europe (for Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine): Kevork Noradounguian (Archbishop) Apostolic Nunciature Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas (Archbishop) Catholicism portal Ukraine portal v t e Catholic Church in Europe Sovereign states Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales States with limited recognition Abkhazia Kosovo Northern Cyprus South Ossetia Transnistria Dependencies and other entities Åland Faroe Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Svalbard Catholicism portal Europe portal v t e All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and religious organisations Members Armenian Oriental Orthodox Orthodox Church of Ukraine Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Catholics (Latin rite) Catholics (Byzantine rite) Ukrainian Lutherans German Lutherans Evangelical Christians-Baptists Evangelical Christians Evangelicals Pentecostals Evangelical Faith Christians Ukrainian Bible Society Sub-Carpathian Reformists Seventh Day Adventists Crimean Muslims Ukrainian Muslims Jews Former members Odesa Association of Christian Churches v t e Christianity in Ukraine Eastern Orthodoxy Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)a Noncanonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate) Former Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy Armenian Apostolic Church Diocese of Ukraine Catholicism Latin Church Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv Eastern Catholic Papal recognition Ukrainian Greek Catholic Ruthenian Greek Catholic Armenian Catholic Independent Ukrainian Orthodox Greek Catholic Protestantism Baptist All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists Brotherhood of Independent Baptist Churches and Ministries of Ukraine Lutheran German Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Ukraine Ukrainian Lutheran Church Reformed Reformed Church in Sub-Carpathia/ Reformed Church in Transcarpathia Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine Sub-Carpathian Reformed Church Reformed Presbyterian Church of Central and Eastern Europe Pentecostal Hillsong Ukraine Ukrainian Free Churches – Union of the Evangelical Christians Ukrainian Missionary Church Ukrainian Pentecostal Church Victory Christian Church Other Protestant Ukrainian Bible Society Mennonite Non-trinitarian Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aDeclared spiritual independence in May 2022 from Moscow Patriarchate --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Catholic Church in Ukraine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ukraine) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Ukraine?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.