05/18/2026
PRESS RELEASE
(Winnipeg, 17 May 2026) Historical First Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Pilgrimage to Greece & the Mother Church of Constantinople Concludes Successfully
His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion leads UOCC clergy and faithful on journey to monasteries, churches and holy places in Greece and Constantinople
The pilgrimage, which took place 03-12 May, was the fulfillment of a resolution of the LIV Western Eparchy Assembly to mark thirty-five years of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada as a Metropolis within the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Eighteen pilgrims from the Western Eparchy and across the UOCC (His Grace Bishop Andriy, four clerics and thirteen lay members) joined His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion on an eight-day visit of monasteries, churches, and holy sites in Thessaloniki and vicinity, the Holy Mt.
Athos, the monasteries of Holy Meteora, and Constantinople.
The pilgrimage participants had the opportunity to visit monastic communities, venerate relics of numerous saints of the Orthodox Church, view and pray before ancient icons, take a boat tour along Mt.
Athos, visit the famous cliff monasteries of Holy Meteora, and attend Divine Liturgy at the Phanar in the Patriarchal Church of St. George, presided over by His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I. Finally, the highlight of the pilgrimage was an audience with His All-Holiness (joined by elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Grand Archimandrite lakovos), who modified his extremely full schedule to share time with the UOCC group on Monday, 11 May, the day before departure back home to Canada.
All participants of this historical first pilgrimage were most certainly edified spiritually by this moving and enlightening trip. They have been inspired to share their experience with members of the UOCC and encourage participation in future trips - as blessed by His All-Holiness, himself, who called for annual visits to the Mother Church of Constantinople, summarizing the journey by stating, "you are not visitors, here.
You have come home."
The participants express deep and sincere thanks to His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion for blessing and organizing the pilgrimage; Archpriest Dr. Timothy Chrapko for assistance with trip logistics; and knowledgeable tour guides, Dmytro (Thessaloniki) and Leah (Constantinople).
A more detailed summary of the pilgrimage will appear in a future issue of The Herald/Вісник.
Office of the Chancellor of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
(Three photos attached)
