The interior of the Latin Cathedral, consecrated in 1405.
By Vitalii Holich
Most Ukrainians are Christians of the eastern rite – either Orthodox, connected with Constantiople, or Greek Catholics, connected with the Pope and Rome, and they all follow the Julian calendar, with holidays two weeks later than the western churches. There is a minority population in Lviv of western-rite Roman Catholics, popular among the city’s ethnic Polish, Ukrainians attached to the western rite, and of course with travelers, visitors, and expats.
For those not yet ready for Christmas, or those adhering to the eastern rites, scroll to the end for information about Greek Catholic Advent services in English.
Latin Cathedral, Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 24: 18:00 – Midnight Mass, led by Papal Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas and Roman Catholic Metropolitan of Lviv Mechyslav Mokshytsky
December 25: Mass: 7:00 (half), 8:00 (Latin), 9:00 (Ukrainian), 10:15 (half for children), 11:30 (half), 13:00 (Polish) 15:00 (English), 18:00 (Polish)
December 26: – 7.00 (Polish) 7.45 Prayer to the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary 8.00 (Latin) 9.00 (Ukrainian) 10.15 (Polish) (for children) 11.30 (Polish) (Amount) 13.00 (Polish) 15.00 (English) 17.30 Evening prayer 18.00 (Polish) (for young people)
Church of the Presentation of the Lord, parish of Our Lady of the Thunder Candle
One of the murals in the hidden Rosen chapel.
Holy Masses will be celebrated in the Rosen Chapel
December 25: 00:00 – Midnight Mass; 11:00 (Ukrainian), 12:00 (Latin), 16:00 (Polish), 19:30 (Ukrainian).
December 26: 00:00 – Midnight Mass; 11:00 (Ukrainian), 12:00 (Latin), 16:00 (Polish), 19:30 (Ukrainian).
Read more: «Heaven on Earth: See the Secret Fresco’s in Lviv’s Hidden Rosen Chapel»
Lviv-Zboishcha (Parish of Holy Virgin Mary of Perpetual Aid)
December 25: 00 – Midnight Mass; 9:00 (Ukrainian), 10:30 (Ukrainian), 12:00 (Polish), 19:00.
December 26: 8.00 – Mass
Parish of St. John Paul II
December 25: 00 – Midnight Mass; 9:00, 11:00, 12:30, 19:00.
December 26: 9:00 (Polish), 11:00 (Ukrainian), 12:30 (Ukrainian), 19:00 (Ukrainian)
Lviv-Ryasne, Parish of Divine Mercy
December 25: 00 – Midnight Mass; 9:00 (Polish), 13:00 (Ukrainian)
December 26: 09.00, 13.00
Parish of St. Anthony
December 24: 19:30 – Midnight Mass (Ukrainian), 9:00 pm Midnight Mass (Polish)
December 25: 8:00 (Polish), 10:00 (Ukrainian), 12:00 (Polish), 15:00 (Ukrainian) 17:00 (Polish), 18:30 (Ukrainian)
December 26: – 08.00 (Polish); 10.00 (Polish); 12.00 (Polish); 15.00 (Ukrainian); 17.00 (Russia); 18.30 (Ukrainian)
Parish of St. Mary Magdalene
December 24: 18:30 – Midnight Mass
December 25: 10:00 (Polish), 12:00 – Mass will be presided over by the Easter Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas and the Metropolitan of Lviv of the RCC Mechyslav Mokshytskyi, 18:30 (Polish)
December 26: – 09.00 (Polish) 10.30 (Polish) 12.30 (Ukrainian)
Parish of St. Archangel Michael
(Lviv – Sykhiv, Osvytska Street, 4):
December 24: 21:00 – Midnight Mass (Ukrainian), Midnight Mass – 24:00 (Polish)
December 25: 11:00 (Ukrainian), 13:30 (Polish)
December 26: 11.00 (Ukrainian); 13.00 (Polish)
Parish of St. Libra from the Child Jesus
Given that the church of St. Libra from the Child Jesus was injured in a fire, prayers will be held at the monastery of the Pallottine Fathers (address is the same – Bryukhovychi, Potichok Street, 6):
December 24: 22:00 – Midnight Mass
December 25: 11:00 (Polish), 13:00.
December 26: 11.00 (Polish); 13.00 (Ukrainian)
To attend an Advent (pre-eastern Christmas Lent) service in Eastern rite, you can go to a Greek Catholic church. In particular, th Garrison Church of St. Peter and Paul has a service in English.
Greek Catholic: Garrison Church of St. Peter and Paul
(Teatralna St, 11, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, 79000)
(services in Ukrainian, unless noted otherwise)
December 25: 09:00 Divine Liturgy for Repose, 13:00 Divine Liturgy, 18:00 Divine Liturgy, 18:45 Great evening
December 26: 07:30 Divine Liturgy, 09:00 Divine Liturgy, 11:00 Divine Liturgy, 13:00 Divine Liturgy, 15:00 Byzantine Divine Liturgy in English, 17:00 Divine Liturgy, 18:30 Divine Liturgy 20:00 Divine Liturgy
For reference:
Greek Catholicism, the majority religion of Lviv, Ukraine, is a Christian confession which acknowledges Catholic doctrine and is in communion with the Pope, but maintains Eastern rites and rituals, including married priests. It emerged in 1596, when a part of the Orthodox Church recognised the supremacy of the Pope. Later, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) became mostly localised in the Western Ukraine, becoming one of the markers of the national identity for the region’s population during Austrian, Polish and Soviet rule.
Currently, Kyiv is the center of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, under the jurisdiction of His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, and it is present in many regions of the country, though Galicia, where Lviv is, still remains its bulwark. It also has a strong presence among the Ukrainian diaspora, especially in parts of Canada, the United States, and Australia.
By Vitalii Holich
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Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.
