Bishop Irynej Bilyk is the current canon of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Over the years, he came to know Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.
Almost 40 years ago, he had to practice his Catholic faith secretly during the Soviet regime. And it was during that time that he was ordained a bishop in Ukraine.
BP. IRYNEJ BILYK
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Neither my family nor my mother knew about the episcopal consecration. In 1984 my mother died, who had no idea that I had already been a priest for six years. My family found out after 10 years.
Bishop Bilyk describes how he and the entire Catholic community had to live in hiding for decades.
BP. IRYNEJ BILYK
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
When I used to go to say Mass secretly for Catholic families, we always celebrated it in the kitchen. So that if someone came, I could hide the stole in a pot.
When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union in 1989, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was officially re-established. His term ended the four decades of clandestine Masses and allowed Christians to openly practice their faith.
PA
TR: KG
