On March 21 in Briukhovychi, a suburb of Lviv, a Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will convene to elect the new primate. Our readers will remember that on February 10, the Most Blessed Liubomyr Huzar declared that Pope Benedict XVI had accepted his resignation.
Patriarch Liubomyr became the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics 10 years ago, after the death of his predecessor Myroslav Ivan Liubachivsky. The UGCC is the largest East Catholic church in the world, with five and a half million faithful.
“On March 18 the bishops (there are 50 of them in the Synod) will arrive in Lviv from every corner of the world: Europe, North America, South America, and Australia and Oceania,” said Archbishop Ihor Vozniak, currently in charge of the church administration, opening the press conference. “Meetings are scheduled for March 19, at which journalists can be present. The next day is reserved for prayers, silence, and contemplation. The election will be held from March 21 to March 24. Then we will wait for the confirmation of our choice by the Holy Father. The new head of the church is to be enthroned in Kyiv on March 27.”
Each of the bishops votes for the candidate of his choice by secret ballot. The winner needs two-thirds of ballots, otherwise a so-called runoff election is held, for the two strongest candidates. After the election the ballots are incinerated. The bishops, who are sworn in on the eve of the election, may not disclose their contents. By the way, at the time of the actual election they are isolated from the world: they may not use mobile phones, see visitors, or leave the designated premises.
The Most Blessed Liubomyr had subtly announced his oncoming withdrawal over recent years. It seems he already encouraged a search for his successor. “The requirements put forward to the candidate are high,” explains Most Reverend Bohdan Dziurakh, secretary of the Synod of Bishops. “Besides the canonical [requirements] (a minimum age of 40, and 10 years of priesthood), there are a lot of other requirements concerning the candidate’s education and morals.”
“At our previous conventions we drew up a certain ideal image, conforming to definite criteria. Here are some of them: the candidate has to enjoy authority both among Greek Catholics (belonging to all walks of society) and in other churches; he must be known both in Ukraine and far beyond its borders (so not only the local believers perceive him as their pastor); and relevant theological education is a must. Certainly, this is an ideal, and the future primate will have to mature to conform to it,” Most Reverend Bohdan continued.
When asked how the new head of church will be able to come abreast with the huge authority of his predecessor, Most Reverend Ihor answered with the words of Huzar himself: authority can be gained.
