09/06/2026
DECREE on the establishment of a temporary working group for the preparation of an English translation of the Divine Liturgies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Basil the Great
For the glory of the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving, and Indivisible Trinity, Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SVYATOSLAV, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Taking into account the pastoral needs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) among the English-speaking faithful;
considering the approval by the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC of the Ukrainian texts of the Divine Liturgies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Basil the Great;
seeking to ensure an accurate, theologically correct, liturgically appropriate and linguistically excellent translation of these texts into English;
taking into account the prescriptions of canon 657 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), as well as the norms of the section “Liturgical Texts” of the Instructions for the Submission and Approval of Liturgical Texts, Their Reprints and Translations, approved in 2013;
having heard the opinions of the members of the Permanent Synod of the UGCC, in accordance with the norm of canon 124 of the CCEO,
WE ESTABLISH a temporary working group for the preparation of an English translation of the Divine Liturgies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Basil the Great.
Taking into account pertinent counsels, WE APPOINT the following persons as members of this working group:
Deacon Cyril Kennedy — Chairman of the working group:
Father Peter Galadza
FatherHerman Majkrzak
FatherJoseph Matlak
Father Mark Woodruff
Father rMichael Winn
Mr. Taras Tymo
I. In its work, the working group must preserve the theological content, liturgical structure, wording and terminological consistency of the approved Ukrainian texts, while ensuring that the translation complies with the norms of contemporary English liturgical language.
II. The working group will theologically, liturgically, canonically and linguistically process the translation and, if necessary, may involve relevant specialists and experts in its work.
III. The working group will carry out its work in cooperation with the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission, taking into account its recommendations and the prescriptions of canon 40 of the CCEO.
IV. For general advisory and pastoral support of the activities of the temporary working group, we establish a supervisory board.
V. We appoint to the supervisory board:
His Grace Metropolitan Borys ڐudziak
His Grace Metropolitan Michael Kwiatkowski
His Eminence Cardinal Mykola Bychok.
VI. The Supervisory Board contributes to taking into account the pastoral experience of English-speaking dioceses and other church structures of the UGCC, and may also provide the working group and the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission with relevant recommendations.
VII. The Supervisory Board performs an advisory function and is not vested with the authority to approve the liturgical translation or its introduction into liturgical use.
VIII. After completing its work, the working group will submit the final draft of the English translation to the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission for its consideration and further presentation to the competent ecclesiastical authority.
IX. The English translation prepared by the working group does not acquire the status of the official liturgical text of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as a result of its preparation and consideration by the Supervisory Board or the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission.
X. The final approval of the English translation and its introduction into liturgical use shall be carried out by the competent ecclesiastical authority in accordance with the provisions of the CCEO, the particular law of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and the established procedure for approving liturgical translations.
The decree shall enter into force from the moment of its promulgation.
† SVIATOSLAV
Fr. Mykhaylo Sulyma,
Chancellor of the Curia of the Major Archbishop of the UGCC
Given in Kyiv,
at the Patriarchal Council of the Resurrection of Christ,
this day of the Indicta, the Beginning of the New Year,
the Commemoration of our Venerable Father Simeon the Stylite and his mother Martha,
and the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos of Miasenes,
1 September in the year of the Lord 2026.
Декрет про створення тимчасової робочої групи з підготовки англійського перекладу Божественних Літургій святого Івана Золотоустого та святого Василія Великого
