St Michael Archangel UGCC Dearborn Michigan

06/23/2026

I have been asked to explain the unique candlesticks the bishop used to bless the congregation during last Sunday’s Divine Liturgy. These are known as the dikirion (the two-branched candlestick) and the trikirion (the three-branched candlestick).

References to them appear in the ceremonial practices of the imperial cathedral rite of Constantinople between the 9th and 12th centuries. Their earliest documented appearances date from the 10th and 11th centuries in Byzantine sources such as the Ceremonials of the Hagia Sophia.

By the 14th century, the dikirion and trikirion had become standard episcopal insignia throughout the Byzantine world. The liturgical commentaries of Symeon of Thessalonica, the 15th century archbishop and liturgical writer, describe them as established elements of hierarchical worship. Following the fall of Constantinople, their use spread by Byzantine refugees to places as far as the lands of Rus’, becoming firmly rooted in Slavic liturgical practice during the 15th and 16th centuries. Eventually, all Byzantine Churches adopted their use. Today, they remain among the most distinctive features of a bishop’s liturgy.

In his work “From the Sacred Temple”, Symeon explains that the dikirion's two candles joined together signify the two natures of Christ, divine and human, united in one Person. The trikirion’s three candles joined together signify the Holy Trinity. Used together, they express the revelation of the Triune God through the Incarnation of Christ.

The candles also symbolize the bishop’s responsibility to illuminate the Church through his teaching and ministry. Christ Himself declares, “I am the light of the world.” The bishop possesses no light of his own; rather, he bears and reflects the light of Christ. For this reason, the candles are carried before him and placed in his hands when he blesses the faithful. Symeon notes that the bishop thereby “shows forth the light of theology and true doctrine.”

Thus, when the bishop blesses with these, he silently proclaims the central mysteries of the Christian faith: the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ. Their flames symbolize divine illumination, grace, purity, and the triumph of light over darkness, while the bishop’s use of them underscores his apostolic calling to proclaim and transmit these saving truths to the Church.

06/22/2026

https://ugcc.ua/data/glava-ugkts-imenuvav-ottsya-veyna-yosyfa-ruchgi-mytrofornym-protoiereem-8478/

Отець і Глава Української Греко-Католицької Церкви Блаженніший Святослав іменував отця-крилошанина (члена капітули, що діє при катедральних соборах та допомагає ....

06/22/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14jd8Wymt7Y/

His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, has named Fr. Wayne Joseph Ruchgy, Ph.D., pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Dearborn, Michigan, a Mitred Archpriest. The mitre was presented to him by Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk of the St. Nicholas Eparchy...

06/21/2026

Steps Through the Byzantine Year
For the week beginning June 21st, 2026
4th Sunday After Pentecost

If you have ever witnessed a hierarchical liturgy, the bishop will wear several vestments that were not worn by the priests or were slightly different.

The bishop is not merely an administrator or local pastor. According to the teaching of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, the bishop presides in the place of Christ and serves as the visible center of ecclesial unity.

Therefore, his vesting symbolizes Christ clothing His servant with divine grace for the sacred ministry. The prayers we recited during vesting are drawn largely from the Psalms and emphasize righteousness, salvation, and the sanctifying work of God rather than personal dignity or authority. As the bishop was vested, the Church sees an image of Christ being manifested in the midst of His people. The vestments also recall the garments of the High Priest of the Old Testament, now fulfilled in the eternal priesthood of Christ.

The sakkos the garment that looks like a second tunic, it developed from an imperial tunic granted to bishops in Byzantium. It replaces the phelonion that priests wear. It recalls both the robe of Christ and the humility of the Savior, who accepted suffering for the salvation of the world.

The omophorion is the distinctive vestment of the bishop and the chief symbol of episcopal ministry. It represents the lost sheep carried by Christ the Good Shepherd upon His shoulders. Ancient writers regarded it as the primary sign of the episcopal office. Without the omophorion, the bishop does not serve as bishop.
The Panagia, the medallion bearing the image of the Mother of God, reminds the bishop that he must keep Christ and His Mother continually in his heart.

The bishop’s mitre notice that it is topped with a standing cross unlike that of a priests where an icon of the cross is placed on top. It became common in the East after the fall of Constantinople. Originally associated with imperial ceremonial, it came to symbolize the crown of righteousness promised to the faithful and the crown of thorns borne by Christ.

While not a vestment per say throughout the Liturgy, the bishop stands on the orlets, a carpet depicting an eagle soaring above a city. The eagle symbolizes the bishop's obligation to rise above earthly concerns and guide the faithful toward heavenly realities.

06/18/2026

06/14/2026

Reflection for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 5:1-10 and Mathew 6:22-34

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In today's Epistle, Saint Paul tells us: “Brothers and sisters, now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” These words touch upon one of the great gifts of the Christian life: peace with God.

When we hear the word "peace," we often think of the absence of war, conflict, or trouble. Yet the peace spoken of in Scripture is much deeper. Saint Paul used the Greek word [eirene], which corresponds to the Hebrew [shalom], the greeting of the risen Christ to His apostles locked in the upper room from fear. It speaks of wholeness, harmony, well-being, and restored relationships. It is the peace that comes when we are united to God, reconciled with one another, and healed within ourselves.

The Fathers of the Church often reflected on this peace. Saint Basil the Great reminds us that Christ Himself is our peace. Saint Gregory of Nyssa speaks of peace as the ending of the "civil war" within the human heart, bringing harmony to our divided nature. This peace is not something we create for ourselves. It is God's gift, received through humility, trust, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

Saint Paul teaches that this peace begins with our reconciliation to God through Christ. It is the foundation upon which every other kind of peace is built. Though we await its fullness in the Kingdom of God, we already experience it now within the life of the Church.
This same peace is reflected in today's Gospel when our Lord says: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow."

Christ is not promising a life free from difficulties. Rather, He invites us to live free from the anxiety and fear that so often dominate our hearts. True peace is not merely emotional calm. It is a deep confidence that our lives rest in God's hands, even during trials, suffering, and uncertainty.

How often do we carry burdens that we were never meant to carry alone? We worry about our families, our health, our finances, our future, and the many uncertainties that surround us. Yet today's Gospel gently reminds us that God already knows our needs. The birds of the air and the lilies of the field are sustained by His providence. If God cares so faithfully for His creation, how much more does He care for those who bear His image? The Lord calls us not to ignore our responsibilities, but to place them in His hands and trust that He is guiding us even when we cannot see the path ahead.

The peace of Christ is different from the peace offered by the world. The world often understands peace as the absence of struggle. Yet Christians know that faithfulness to Christ may bring opposition, sacrifice, and even persecution. Nevertheless, the peace Christ gives remains. It is sustained by grace and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

This peace is meant to shape both our personal lives and the life of the Church. It calls us to become peacemakers in our families, our communities, and our world. As our relationship with God is healed, we become instruments through which His peace reaches others. Sometimes this begins with simple acts: offering forgiveness, showing patience, listening with compassion, or reconciling with someone from whom we have become estranged. In these small but important ways, Christ's peace becomes visible in the world around us.

We see this most clearly in the Divine Liturgy. From the very beginning, the Church invites us into God's peace through the Great Litany.

The first thing we hear after the blessing is the proclamation: "In peace, let us pray to the Lord." We are called to set aside fear and distraction and enter into God's presence. Then we pray "for the peace from on high and for the salvation of our souls," asking for the heavenly peace that only God can give. We also pray for peace throughout the world, for the welfare of the holy Churches of God, and for the unity of all. The true establishment of the Kingdom of God. It is not until late in the litany that we pray for peace as is understood secularly, that is, the cessation of hostilities in the world.

Throughout the Liturgy, the priest repeatedly blesses us with the words, "Peace be with all." The calling down of God’s peace on his people.

In the Kiss of Peace during Forgiveness vespers, or in some traditions, before the creed, when told “Let us love one another so that with one mind we may profess”, the clergy and sometimes the people will exchange the greeting, "Christ is in our midst." Just as the peace of Christ is present in the locked upper room.
Finally, at the dismissal, when we are sent forth with the call to "go forth in peace." The peace we receive from Christ is not meant to remain within the walls of the church; it is meant to accompany us into our daily lives.

As we leave today, let us remember Saint Paul's words: "Now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

This peace is God's gift to us through Christ. It is celebrated in every Divine Liturgy and nourished through prayer, repentance, forgiveness, and participation in the Holy Mysteries. It teaches us how to live and how to pray.

So in this peace we may we seek first the Kingdom of God, trusting in His care and setting aside our fears about tomorrow. And may the peace of Christ dwell richly in our hearts, making each of us a witness to His love in a troubled world.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

06/14/2026

Steps Through the Byzantine Year
For the week beginning June 14th, 2026
3rd Sunday After Pentecost

Over the next few weeks, I would like to focus these articles on explaining the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and the unique ceremonies that accompany a bishop's celebration of the Holy Mysteries.

One of the first things people notice is the formal reception of the bishop upon his arrival at the church. After being welcomed, he proceeds to the front of the church to pray before the iconostasis. These prayers are ordinarily said privately by priests and deacons before every Divine Liturgy, but during a Hierarchical Liturgy, they become visible to the faithful. Another distinctive feature is the public vesting of the bishop in the center of the church.

The vesting of a bishop is much more than a practical preparation for worship. It is a sacred rite that reveals the bishop's role as the visible shepherd of the local Church and as an icon of Christ among His people. Each vestment carries both historical and theological significance.

In the early centuries, bishops dressed much like other clergy, wearing garments that originated as ordinary Roman clothing. As fashions changed, the Church retained these garments for worship and gradually gave them symbolic meaning. By the Byzantine period, bishops had distinctive vestments and insignia that emphasized their role as teachers, pastors, and successors of the Apostles. The custom of vesting publicly developed in the great cathedrals of Constantinople and remains part of the hierarchical tradition today.

The vesting rite also expresses an important theological truth. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch teaches, the bishop presides in the place of Christ and serves as the visible center of unity within the Church. The prayers recited during vesting, drawn largely from the Psalms, ask God to clothe His servant with righteousness, salvation, and divine grace for the sacred ministry.

As the bishop is vested, the faithful witness an image of Christ present in the midst of His people. The vestments also recall the garments of the Old Testament high priest, now fulfilled in the eternal priesthood of Christ. Next week, we will examine the vestments unique to the bishop and their symbolism.

06/07/2026

Steps Through the Byzantine Year
For the week beginning June 7th, 2026
All Saints Of Ukraine / 2nd Sunday After Pentecost

On the Monday after All Saints Sunday, we entered another fasting season in the Church year: the Apostles’ Fast. While the purpose of Great Lent, the Nativity Fast, and the Dormition Fast may seem obvious, many people wonder about the origin of this lesser-known fast.

The Apostles’ Fast, also called the Fast of Saints Peter and Paul, is one of the oldest fasting periods in our Church. Among Ukrainians, especially in rural communities and older generations, the term Петрівка is commonly used not only for the fast itself but also for the entire period between Pentecost and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Ukrainian folklore frequently refers to Петрівка as a distinct season associated with early summer, haymaking, and preparation for the harvest. In the liturgical books and official publications of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the more formal names Петрів піст and Апостольський піст are generally used.

The roots of this fast are found in the life of the Apostles themselves. Before undertaking their missionary labors, they devoted themselves to prayer and fasting. As the Acts of the Apostles records: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). Following the joyful celebration of Pascha and Pentecost, the early Church adopted a period of ascetical preparation modeled on the example of the Apostles. Early Christian sources, including the fourth-century Apostolic Constitutions, mention a fast following the Pentecost season. Over time, it became associated with the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29.

Unlike Great Lent, the Apostles’ Fast has a variable length because its beginning depends on the date of Pascha. This year, the fast began last Monday and will conclude on June 28, the day before the feast. Because Pascha fell early this year, we observe one of the longer Apostles’ Fasts. In years when Pascha falls much later, the fast may be very short or even disappear entirely.

As Saint John Chrysostom teaches, fasting is the companion of prayer and a source of spiritual strength. The Apostles’ Fast reminds us that Pentecost is not the conclusion of the Christian life but the beginning of our apostolic mission to bear witness to Christ in the world.