On 20–21 June, Lviv will host a series of spiritual events to mark the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ukraine. They are being organised by the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary UGCC parish in Sykhiv, which in 2001 hosted the great meeting between the Pontiff and Ukrainian youth.
On Saturday, 20 June, residents of Lviv and visitors to the city are invited to join a cycle pilgrimage along the route once taken by the Pope. The pilgrimage will begin at 12:00 by the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1 St John Paul II the Pope of Rome Square). From there, participants will ride through the streets of Lviv to St George’s Hill and the Archcathedral of St George.
On Sunday, 21 June, a special programme of prayer is planned at the church in Sykhiv. From 08:00, the faithful will be able to pray before the icon of St John Paul II with his relics, which is permanently kept in this shrine. In the evening, a three-day retreat dedicated to the anniversary of the Pope’s visit will begin. The first retreat talk is scheduled for 19:00, and the spiritual talks will also be streamed online.
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish is also inviting people to take part in the commemorative initiative “photo with the holy Pope” and to register for the volunteer team that will assist during the jubilee events throughout the week. In particular, volunteers are needed for Sunday, 28 June, when an Archhierarchical Liturgy will be celebrated in Sykhiv, presided over by His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
Throughout June, Lviv is marking the 25th anniversary of the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine, which took place on 25–27 June 2001 and became one of the most significant spiritual events in the history of the independent state. To mark the jubilee, the city has prepared almost a hundred spiritual, cultural, artistic and youth events: festive liturgies, film screenings, a cycle pilgrimage, the “Pope–Youth” flashmob, photo exhibitions, as well as the issuing and first cancellation of a jubilee postage stamp.