St. John the Baptist's relics arrive in Ukraine
The relics of St. John the Baptist have been brought to the city of Kalush in the Carpathian region. The relics were delivered to the Church of St. Michael the Archangel of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by Bishop Irenaeus Bilyk, a papal canon of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Kalush Mayor Andrii Naida announced this on Facebook, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.
“From now on, the relics of Saint John the Baptist—the prophet who, through his life, bore witness to boundless fidelity to God and became the Forerunner of the Lord—will be permanently enshrined in the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. This event was made all the more significant by the presence of a representative of the Holy See (the Vatican)—Monsignor Irenaeus Bilyk, a papal canon of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, who brought the holy relics to our community,” Naida noted.
He remarked that this is a great honor and a priceless spiritual gift for the city. It is expected that from now on, Kalush will become a place of pilgrimage, prayer, and a source of hope for thousands of people.
“Especially today, as Ukraine is facing its most difficult trials, such a shrine is meant to strengthen our spiritual resolve, uniting people in prayer for our defenders, for peace, and for Ukraine’s victory,” Naida added.
He emphasized that the shrine’s journey to Kalush began two years ago, when a side altar was erected in the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in honor of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The idea for its creation arose after the church’s clergy realized that the iconography of the sanctuary lacked an image of this great prophet. The project was brought to fruition thanks to the support of Bohdan Pasichny, Grand Master of the Knights of Columbus.
“A decisive step was the trip to Rome by Father Vasyl Bihun, a member of the church staff. During a meeting with Papal Canon Bishop Irenaeus Bilyk, he requested that a great relic be gifted to our parish. At first, no one even expected that the request would be granted so generously, since such relics are most often transferred only for temporary veneration,” Naida recalled.
Along with the relic, the Church of St. Michael the Archangel received extremely important documents certifying the official recognition of the relic’s origin and the right to its public veneration. The clergy received a papal decree personally signed by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, as well as a decree from Metropolitan Volodymyr Viytyshyn, which confirms the authenticity of the relic and blesses its permanent presence in the city.
From now on, the relics of St. John the Baptist will be displayed monthly for public veneration. Prayers for healing and anointing with holy oil will be held in the church, and anyone who wishes will have the opportunity to visit the shrine, bow their head in prayer, and ask for God’s protection for themselves, their loved ones, and all of Ukraine.
Andrii Naida added that a unique moment of the day was the signing of a spiritual Memorandum of Unity, Prayer, and Hope. The document was signed on behalf of the Kalush community. The Memorandum was also signed by Bishop Irenaeus Bilyk, a papal canon of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and Zhanna Tabanets, head of the Kalush Regional State Administration.
The document attests to a shared commitment to preserve spiritual values, promote peace, support one another in times of great trials, unite in prayer for Ukraine, and develop spiritual cooperation. At the same time, it opens up prospects for future educational and humanitarian initiatives, in particular deepening cooperation with Catholic educational institutions in the Apostolic Capital, so that Ukrainian youth have more opportunities for spiritual and intellectual development.
As reported, the Far Caves at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve were officially opened to pilgrims and visitors.
Photo: Andrii Naida, Facebook
