Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Misiones (Agenzia Fides) – The Eparchy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Argentina is celebrating two important jubilees during this month of October. This is what Agenzia Fides was informed, in a report from Fr. Luis, OFM, Pastor of the Eparchy's Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral.
October 5th marked the 30th anniversary of the canonical erection of the Eparchy “Santa Maria del Patrocinio,” for Ukrainian Catholic residents of Argentina, who celebrated the event in the Cathedral.
On October 12th, members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Las Tunas, near the city of Apostoles, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Ukrainian Catholic priest, as well as the celebration of the first Divine Liturgy of the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite on Argentinean soil (held March 21, 1908), among the first Ukrainian immigrants who were still without churches or priests. The commemorative event took place at 9:30am with a solemn Divine Liturgy, presided by Bishop Miguel Mykycej, FDP, who concelebrated with other priests from the Ukrainian Eparchy. The Mass was attended by a large number of Ukrainian Catholics and guests. Bishop Miguel Mykycej unveiled and blessed a commemorative plaque, recalling the 100th anniversary.
The first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Apostoles on August 27, 1897, having to face many cultural and economic difficulties. One of the deepest desires among the immigrants was to have their own places to adore God in their own rite and language. Immediately following their arrival, they began building churches, where they gathered to celebrate Sundays and feast days, although they were still without priests. Eleven years later, the first Ukrainian Catholic priest arrived in Misiones. His name was Fr. Clemente Bzhujovski, OSBM, from Brazil. It was he who led the construction of a church made of wood in Apostoles, and began the building of a church in Azara.
He remained there only 6 months in Misiones, and on April 30, 1909, the Holy See sent Fr. Iaroslav Karpiak, an eparquial-diocesan priest who lived two and a half years there, before the arrival of two more Ukrainian eparquial priests: Fr. Ivan Seneshen and Fr. Omellán Ananievech. Since then, the Ukrainian Catholic Church has been blessed by God, under the protection of the “Virgen del Patrocinio.” It grew in religious, apostolic, and cultural activity and in 1978, it became an Eparchy. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 23/10/2008)
