Bishop Ivan Kulyk

Bishop Ivan Kulyk, Eparch of Kamianets-Podilskyi. Born on March 16, 1979, in the village of Perevoloka (Buchach Raion, Ternopil Oblast). Ordained a priest on May 8, 2005, by His Excellency Vasyl Semeniuk, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ternopil-Zboriv. Consecrated a bishop on December 1, 2019, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Khmelnytskyi. Enthroned on December 1, 2019, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Khmelnytskyi. Childhood and family: The future Bishop Ivan Kulyk was born on March 16, 1979, in the village of Perevoloka (Buchach Raion, Ternopil Oblast) to Mykhailo and Olha. He also has an older brother, Vasyl. His father, Mykhailo, worked as a crane operator at the Buchach forestry enterprise, while his mother, Olha, worked as a cleaner at the local village school. Bishop Ivan himself recalls his family and the early moments of his Christian upbringing: "I grew up in a Christian environment. My grandmother played the greatest role in my spiritual formation; she taught me to make the Sign of the Cross and taught me my first prayers. I often went on pilgrimages with her to the Mother of God—honored through the miraculous Zarvanytsia Icon—or we visited other holy places together. My parents strove to instill in me a love for God and for my neighbor." When speaking about the emergence of his vocation to the priesthood, Bishop Ivan always recalls his grandmother, as well as the underground bishops and priests who ministered in his native region. "I remember very well participating in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the late Bishop Pavlo Vasylyk. It was 1989, a time when the Church was beginning to emerge from the underground, and I was only ten years old. That Liturgy, celebrated in the local cemetery—since the village church was held by the Orthodox community—made a profound impression on me. I recall how we, as young boys, were entrusted with holding the *dikirion* and *trikirion*, the episcopal staff, or other liturgical objects while serving at the Divine Liturgy. For me as a small child, it was something extraordinary, fascinating, and deeply moving," the bishop recounts, adding: "Today, I truly thank God for all the people who led me to encounter Him. First and foremost, I think of my grandmother in this context. It was she who taught me to pray, to make the Sign of the Cross reverently, and to visit holy places. These fundamental things, revealed to me by my grandmother, sparked my search for the spiritual. Beyond my family circle, the priests serving in Perevoloka also influenced my spiritual life—specifically Fr. Hryhoriy Kanak, Fr. Vasyl Derkach, and Fr. Ihor Vovk. Father Ihor continues to serve in my home parish to this day, and among the clergy, he was the one who most significantly shaped my spiritual journey." Education: From 1986 to 1996, he attended the Perevoloka general education secondary school. Subsequently, from 1994 to 1996, he studied at the Chortkiv Cantor-Choirmaster School, where he qualified as a cantor and church choir director. "After graduating from the general education school in my native village in 1994, I enrolled in the Chortkiv Cantor-Choirmaster School (now the Hieromartyr Hryhoriy Khomyshyn Cantor-Catechetical Academy)." "Training at the cantor school was very important, as it provided a solid foundation of knowledge—particularly in liturgical singing and the church typikon—and served as excellent preparation for studies at the seminary," the hierarch recalls. In 1997, he entered the Patriarch Josyf Slipyj Ternopil Major Seminary; however, just a year later—from 1998 to 2004—he continued his studies at the Lublin Seminary in Poland. Bishop Ivan recalls this period of his education with particular warmth: "In 1997, I began my studies at the Patriarch Josyf Slipyj Ternopil Seminary. After one year there, with the blessing of the then-ruling Bishop of Ternopil, the late Mykhailo Sabryha, and upon the recommendation of the seminary's then-rector—now Metropolitan and Archbishop Vasyl Semeniuk—I continued my education at the Lublin Seminary in Poland. The seminary program was conducted in affiliation with the Catholic University of Lublin, which added a unique dimension to the experience. The years spent within the seminary walls were undoubtedly a time of significant personal and spiritual-ecclesial growth for me." On August 27, 2004—the eve of the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God—he was ordained a deacon by His Excellency Archbishop Vasyl Semeniuk in the village of Zarvanytsia, in the Ternopil region. From September 2004 to May 2005, Deacon Ivan Kulyk served at the chapel of the Ukrainian Catholic University, while simultaneously preparing—through courses in Italian, Greek, and Latin—for his upcoming studies in Rome. Regarding his priestly ministry, on May 8, 2005, he was ordained a priest by His Excellency Bishop Vasyl Semeniuk at the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, located within the Zarvanytsia Spiritual Pilgrimage Center in the Ternopil region. Subsequently, from 2005 to 2009, he studied at the *Augustinianum* Patristic Institute in Rome, earning a Licentiate degree in Patristics and Patrology. "After graduating from the Lublin Theological Seminary, I wished to continue my studies at the Catholic University of Lublin in the Faculty of Patristic Theology. However, our Church’s Personnel Commission—which assigns students to study abroad—decided it would be better for me to pursue my studies in patristic theology in Rome, specifically at the specialized patristic institute known as the *Augustinianum*. Before arriving in Rome, I had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a deacon and study at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv for one academic year. It was at UCU that I was able to deepen my knowledge of classical languages and Italian, thereby preparing for my studies in Rome. Living and studying in the Italian capital was a truly positive experience. Of course, it was a bit challenging at first, as I had to improve my language skills, learn about the culture, and adapt to a new way of life. Yet, studying in Rome became not only an opportunity to deepen my theological education but also a chance to meet interesting people from many countries around the world who come to Rome to study," recounts Bishop Ivan, reflecting on his experience getting to know the Eternal City and the center of the Catholic Church. From October 2006 to February 2009, he provided pastoral care to the Ukrainian community in the cities of Cattolica (Diocese of Rimini) and Pesaro (Diocese of Pesaro). From March to July 2009, he carried out pastoral ministry for the Ukrainian community in the cities of Padua, Este, and Thiene (Diocese of Padua); Bassano del Grappa (Diocese of Vicenza); and Chioggia (Diocese of Chioggia). "I was ordained a priest in 2005 and immediately came to Rome for my studies. At that time, there were already over a hundred Ukrainian communities in Italy, and there was a shortage of priests to serve them; consequently, we priest-students were often asked to assist with pastoral care. From time to time, I helped our pastors in their ministry across various communities in Italy. Starting in the autumn of 2006, I began traveling from Rome to serve the Ukrainian communities in the cities of Cattolica and Pesaro. The Ukrainian church communities in these cities provided my first experience of pastoral ministry. For over two years, I would travel every Saturday and Sunday to be with our people—celebrating the Divine Liturgy, preaching the Word of God, and sharing in their joys and hardships. For the following five months, I ministered to our people in the cities of Padua, Bassano del Grappa, Este, Thiene, and Chioggia," notes the Eparch of Kamianets-Podilskyi. Subsequently, in August 2009, he was appointed Administrator of the Parish of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus in Rome, and from December 2013 to September 2019, he served as the parish priest of that same parish in Rome. First of all, the Bishop shares the history of this parish, which Patriarch Josyf Slipyj held very dear: "This Ukrainian church and parish in Rome is very ancient and historic." The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus itself was transferred to the Kyiv Metropolis in 1641, and the parish attached to the church was established in 1970 through the efforts of Patriarch Josyf Slipyj. Patriarch Josyf held this church in great affection; he often prayed before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Zhirovitsy and endeavored to celebrate the Divine Liturgy there on all feasts of the Mother of God throughout the year. Ministry in Rome became a special spiritual and pastoral experience for me. Moreover, according to the bishop, this period of service within the parish community of Ukrainian migrants in Italy served as a true school of pastoral care. "I spent fourteen years of my pastoral ministry in Italy, ten of which were served at the Parish of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in Rome. Serving in the Ukrainian parish in Rome was a great gift from God and a wonderful pastoral experience for me. The Ukrainian Church in Italy—and in Rome in particular—is a place of special closeness and a true home for our people; since the majority of our compatriots do not own their own homes, the church has become a special, family-like setting for encountering God and one another. Above all, communal liturgical prayer, catechesis, various gatherings, pilgrimages to holy sites, the celebration of church and state holidays, and charitable events—all of this unites our people around God, binds them into a strong community, and gives them the strength to endure difficult daily hardships and challenges. Reflecting on my ten years of service at the Ukrainian Parish of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, I can say that this parish community provided me with a profound experience of liturgical prayer. There, in addition to the Divine Liturgy, I learned to pray Vespers and Matins communally and discovered the immense prayerful depth of our liturgical texts." "I thank God for this wonderful experience, as well as Most Reverend Bishop Dionisio Lachovicz, who participated daily in our shared liturgical prayer; I thank my fellow priests who assisted me in pastoral care, the Sisters Catechists of St. Anne, the parish choir, and the entire community that took part in the daily services," says the hierarch. Regarding his episcopal ministry: on September 10, 2019, the Vatican announced that the Holy Father Francis had blessed the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) to canonically elect Fr. Ivan Kulyk as the Eparch of Kamianets-Podilskyi. "The decision of the UGCC Synod of Bishops to elect me as Eparch of Kamianets-Podilskyi was truly unexpected. When His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Head of our Church, informed me of the Synod's decision, the question arose in my mind: why me? I am still too young and inexperienced for such a ministry. Moreover, I have lived half my life—twenty years—outside of Ukraine. Such thoughts arose within me, causing a certain amount of anxiety. On the other hand, I understand that the call to episcopal ministry is a call from God, and therefore I accept it as a great gift from Him. I believe that the Lord will guide me and, despite all my imperfections, grant me the strength and wisdom to be a good archpastor," notes Bishop Ivan Kulyk. On November 26, 2019, the Rite of Nomination of the new bishop, Ivan Kulyk, took place during Great Vespers at the monastery church of the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God (Order of Saint Basil the Great) in Briukhovychi, near Lviv. It is also worth noting that the rite of naming the new bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church took place during a joint retreat for Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops. The episcopal ordination of Father Ivan Kulyk was held on December 1, 2019, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Kamianets-Podilskyi Eparchy in Khmelnytskyi. The principal consecrator was the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, while the co-consecrators were Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ternopil-Zboriv Vasyl Semeniuk and Bishop Dionisiy Lyakhovych, the Delegate with full powers of the Apostolic Exarch for Ukrainian Catholics of the Byzantine rite residing in Italy. Responding to a question about the first steps of his episcopal ministry in the Kamianets-Podilskyi Eparchy, Bishop Ivan Kulyk notes: "The Kamianets-Podilskyi Eparchy reached its peak development in the 18th century. At that time, it extended across the entire territory of the Khmelnytskyi region and encompassed parts of the present-day Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions. The eparchy was divided into 25 deaneries, comprising 919 parishes. The eparchy suffered decline and total destruction in the 19th century, when the present-day Khmelnytskyi region came under the rule of the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire's hostile attitude toward the Greek Catholic Church led to its liquidation in Podillia. I view episcopal ministry as a great responsibility for priests and laity—an opportunity to learn, together with them, how to be good people and zealous, holy Christians. Prior to my appointment, I had no opportunity to become acquainted with the Khmelnytskyi region." Therefore, my primary efforts will be directed toward understanding the specific characteristics of the eparchy, getting to know the priests and monastics serving within it more deeply, and communicating with and listening to the faithful. The Kamianets-Podilskyi Eparchy indeed rests on a solid foundation. The greatest credit for this belongs to the eparchy’s outgoing administrator, His Excellency Vasyl Semeniuk, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Ternopil-Zboriv. Thus, I will not have to build the eparchy from the ground up, but rather continue and develop the work begun long before my appointment.” Bishop Ivan Kulyk, Eparch of Kamianets-Podilskyi, chose the words “To proclaim light to the people” as his episcopal motto. He explains their meaning and significance as follows: “This inscription is a brief excerpt from the Apostle Paul’s defense before King Agrippa, as recounted in the 26th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: ‘But having obtained help from God, to this day I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass—that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to the people and to the Gentiles’ (22–23). For me, ‘to proclaim light to the people’ means bringing the Light—that is, the Risen Christ—to all people, doing so through both word and the witness of my life. Furthermore, given its connection to the theme of Christ’s Resurrection, the inscription integrates organically into the symbolism of the coat of arms, which embodies the idea of bearing witness to the Lord’s Pascha. Spirit, blood, and water are the primary symbols depicted on the coat of arms.” This triad is mentioned in the First Epistle of John (5:5–8) as a testimony to Christ’s crucifixion, with which the Resurrection is inextricably linked. The Spirit is depicted on the coat of arms as a dove against a green background; water is represented by a blue background featuring a cross; and blood, by a red background featuring a chalice. The Spirit-blood-water triad also reflects the lives and deaths of two saints who hold special significance in my spiritual life: Saint John the Forerunner, my heavenly patron, and Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych, the patron of the home parish where I grew up and was spiritually formed.