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The pilgrimage to the Marian spiritual center in the village of Zarvanytsya (Ternopil' Region), which was held on July 12-13, 2008, and in which, according to estimates of workers of the MIA [Ministry of Internal Affairs] of Ukraine, approximately 110,000 pilgrims from Ukraine, Poland, Belarus and other countries took part, was the center and the culmination of the visit to Ukraine of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Together with the honored guest, participants of the all-Ukrainian pilgrimage to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsya were His Beatitude Lubomyr, Head of the UGCC, bishops, members of the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv and Halych Major Archbishopric, bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, numerous priests, representatives of the state authorities, deputies of various levels, young and older people, and children. The pilgrimage was held as part of the Year of Christian Vocation and on the occasion of the celebration of the 1020 th anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus'.

"You are Ukrainians, and this means that you are Europeans." So Cardinal Sandri said during a meeting with youth which took place on July 12 immediately after his arrival in Zarvanytsya. Thus, he cautioned that for some Europe is associated with financial welfare, but not as a community of persons joined by common Christian roots. "Your history, art, and culture carries in itself an irrefutable Christian imprint. Europe expects your Christian witness," the speaker said.

A touching moment of the meeting with youth was the general prayer for Ukrainian families which, as the Cardinal said, "in difficult but holy hours of his way of the cross" Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytsky) composed. During the prayer Cardinal Sandri lit a candle and held it before all "for the happy future of Ukraine."

Next on the program of the visit of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to Zarvanytsya was a moleben (prayer service) to the Most Holy Mother of God, before which from the parish church to the miraculous site a ceremonial procession went with candles and a spiritual orchestra. "We are here in the tens of thousands and everybody knows a dozen or perhaps a few dozen persons. It might seem for us that we are here together but we are strangers to each other. But this is not true, because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ who have one mother, the Most Holy Mother of God." So His Beatitude Lubomyr said at the completion of the celebration. In his turn Cardinal Sandri expressed gratitude to the Mother of God for the occasion to be at her indulgenced pilgrimage site and to the Head of the UGCC and members of the Synod for the invitation.

On Sunday at 9.00 a solemn pontifical Divine Liturgy which was led by His Beatitude Lubomyr began. Concelebrating with him were Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, and bishops and clergy of the UGCC and RCC in Ukraine.

In his sermon (which can be heard in the Ukrainian language at: http://www.ugcc.org.ua/audio/zarvanytsya_huzar.mp3), the Head of the UGCC recalled that the current pilgrimage was conducted on the occasion of the Year of Christian Vocation and took place on the Sunday of All the Saints of the Ukrainian Nation. According to the preacher, these two themes are tied in one; in fact, each of us above all has received from the Lord God a vocation in life, and, in addition, a vocation to holiness. "We become saints not through our own merits, but through Jesus Christ. He is ‘one Holy, one Lord,' through Whom divine grace and holiness comes down on us. Through baptism we became one body with Him, we became saints, part of the Church. But we need to preserve and support this charism of God's holiness. We can do this through the imitation of Jesus Christ," the preacher said.

"How can I leave Zarvanytsya without thanking God for the gift to be here and thanking you for enabling me to feel here like your brother in faith, you who accepted me as a representative of the Church and co-worker of Pope Benedict XVI?" So in particular Cardinal Sandri said in his speech at the end of the Liturgy (the speech, in Italian with Ukrainian translation, can be heard at: http://www.ugcc.org.ua/audio/zarvanytsya_sandri.mp3). Then the speaker said words of greeting and gratitude addressed to His Beatitude Lubomyr on the occasion of his jubilee: the 50 th anniversary of his priestly ordination and 75 th birthday. "In these days I felt all the love which you have to your Head and Father. I touched with my hands that heat and ardor with which you say that your Church should have a patriarchate and be acknowledged as a patriarchate." The Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches said these words, which were met with great applause.

At the completion of the Liturgy, the appeal of deputies of the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil' regional administrations, which was passed by them on July 8 of this year, was read in which they asked His Holiness Benedict XVI about the recognition of the patriarchal dignity of the UGCC. The text of the appeal was given to Cardinal Sandri.

A greeting from Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko to the participants of the pilgrimage was also passed on.

The blessing of water took place after the Liturgy.

Information Department of the UGCC

Information

Zarvanytsya is a majestic Marian center in western Podillya. It includes, in particular, the Church of the Annunciation by the upper gates, the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsya, the parish Church of the Most Holy Trinity with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, the Theotokos Spiritual Center, and a youth center, among other premises.