Greek Catholic Bishop Maksym Ryabukha of the Exarchate of Donetsk, Ukraine. / Credit: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 14, 2025 / 15:57 pm (CNA).
MaksymRyabukha,theGreekCatholicbishopoftheExarchateofDonetskinUkraine,describeshimselfasa“bishoponwheels”becausehefrequentlytravelstovisitparishesandaccompanyhisfaithfulinthemidstofwar.“Thisallowsmetoseethedepthsofhumanlife,”hesaid.
Oneoftheyoungestbishopsintheworld,the45-year-oldprelateexplainedinaninterviewwiththepontificalfoundationAidtotheChurchinNeed(ACN)that,beforetheRussianinvasion,therewere“morethan80parishes”intheexarchateineast-CentralUkraine,“butmorethanhalfhavebeenclosed,occupied,ordestroyed.Nowwehaveonly37activeparishes.”
Intheoccupiedzone,helamented,“thelawsoftheoccupationforceforbidanyaffiliationwiththeCatholicChurch,eitherGreek-CatholicorLatinrite,anditisverydifficulttoprovideanysortofministrythere.Myexarchatenolongerhasanypriestsintheseterritories.Allourchurcheshavebeendestroyed,ortheyareclosedandpeoplearenotallow
