SYRACUSE, NY (WSYR-TV) - Bishop Borys Gudziak returned home to Syracuse on Sunday to deliver the Divine Liturgy at St. John the Baptist Ukraine Catholic Church in Syracuse.
Gudziak was ordained as the 49th member of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukranian Catholic Church in Ukraine on July 21st. He oversees about 25,000 Ukranian Catholics in numerous European countries.
A son of immigrants from Ukraine, Bishop Gudziak grew up in Syracuse and attended St. John the Baptist Ukraine Catholic Church with his family. He became a priest at age 38.
Parishioners are glad to see him back.
"Faith is still strong in the world. Bishop Borys is a wonderful example of it. And, growing up in Syracuse the son of immigrants, living through 20 years of Soviet oppression in Ukraine, a country that was dominated by the Soviets, he still managed to keep that flame of faith alive and become not only a priest, but a bishop. And my hope is maybe a pope some day,” said Pat Burak.
Bishop Gudziak’s 87-year-old mother still lives in Syracuse and was in the front row for Sunday’s service.
