Fram, Paraguay - With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Diaspora, the 17th Regular Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of South America was prayerfully convened in the city of Fram, Paraguay, under the archpastoral leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Jeremiah.

Sixty-seven delegates representing parishes of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay traveled to Fram for this sacred convocation. They came not merely for meetings or reports, but as pilgrims - to pray together, reflect on the past, and chart the future ministry of Ukrainian Orthodoxy in South America.

Though unable to travel himself, Metropolitan Antony sent his paternal blessing and commissioned Archbishop Daniel to serve as his representative. Beginning his journey at the Metropolitan Center in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, Archbishop Daniel traveled thousands of miles to South America, carrying with him the love and prayers of the Mother Church in North America.

One of the most moving moments of the opening session was the reading of a Patriarchal Greeting from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Addressing the clergy and faithful of the South American Eparchy, the Ecumenical Patriarch extended his love and paternal blessing, encouraging them to continue proclaiming the Word of God with courage and joy in South America.

His All-Holiness reminded the assembly that the Orthodox Church, though scattered throughout the world, remains united in Christ. He praised the steadfastness of the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in South America, who “planted the cross of Christ in distant lands and have preserved their heritage of faith and culture through prayer, sacrifice, and love.”

The Patriarch’s words served as an inspirational call to mission, urging the faithful to see their lives not merely as cultural preservation, but as a living witness to Christ in the midst of diverse societies:

“Your task,” His All-Holiness wrote, “is not only to maintain the sacred traditions of your ancestors, but to share the joy of the Gospel with your neighbors, so that the light of Orthodoxy may shine brightly in every corner of South America.”

At the opening of the Sobor, Archbishop Daniel presented a heartfelt Letter of Greeting from Metropolitan Antony, in which the Metropolitan rejoiced in the convocation of the Sobor, encouraged the faithful to remain steadfast in their Orthodox and Ukrainian identity:

“Your Eminence, Beloved Brother in the Lord Archbishop Jeremiah, Beloved Clergy, Venerable Deacons, and Beloved Faithful of Christ’s Flock in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and throughout South America:

Christ is Among Us! He is and Ever Shall Be!

With profound joy in the Holy Spirit and with paternal love in Christ Jesus our Lord, I greet you on this blessed occasion of the 17th Regular Sobor of the South American Eparchy of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church. By the mercy of Almighty God, you have gathered once again as one Body in Christ - to deliberate, to strengthen, to inspire, and to proclaim the saving Gospel of our Lord. Truly, your convocation is not merely an administrative congress, but a manifestation of the living Church, gathered in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace.

I regret with heartfelt sorrow that I cannot be with you physically in Paraguay. Yet, be assured, beloved children in Christ, that though separated by distance, I am mystically united with you at this Sobor. I stand prayerfully at your side together with my brother hierarchs - Archbishop Jeremiah, your loving shepherd, and Archbishop Daniel, my co-servant in the vineyard of Christ. From afar, I extend to you my embrace as a father embraces his children - with love, with blessing, and with unshakable hope in the future of our Church and our people.

It is by the grace of God that we gather as the spiritual descendants of those courageous men and women who, leaving the land of their birth, carried the treasures of the Ukrainian Orthodox faith across oceans and continents. They planted the seeds of faith in the soils of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and all of South America. With tears and sacrifice, with labor and devotion, they built churches, schools, brotherhoods, and sisterhoods, raising their children to remain steadfast in the Orthodox faith and the Ukrainian heritage. You are the living fruit of that sowing. You are the continuation of the story of faith, courage, and endurance.

Beloved, we now live in a time of great trial for our ancestral homeland. Ukraine, once again, suffers under brutal aggression. As in the years of Soviet tyranny, when faith, language, and culture were suppressed, so now the Russian regime seeks to destroy the soul of our nation. Yet, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). Ukraine lives! The Church lives! Christ, Who conquered death, reigns!

Your prayers in South America - united with the supplications of our faithful in North America, in Europe, in Australia, in New Zealand, and across the globe - rise as incense before the throne of God. You are the living witnesses that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, though scattered across the world, is one family, breathing with one heart, and confessing one Lord.

I encourage you, therefore, in your deliberations, not only to care for the needs of your parishes, but to lift your vision higher - to see your ministry as part of the universal mission of the Orthodox Church. You are called to be apostles in the lands where you live. Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay are nations rich with diversity, culture, and deep spiritual thirst. The people of these lands look for hope, truth, and love. It is your sacred duty to bring them Christ - the Light of the World.

Do not fear your small numbers. Remember that the Lord chose twelve apostles to transform the world. He chose a few fishermen to become fishers of men. He chose a boy with five loaves and two fish to feed thousands. He chooses you, beloved clergy and faithful of South America, to be His instruments of salvation in your homelands.

Above all, I call you to unity. Unity of clergy with their bishop. Unity of laity with their pastors. Unity of generations - elders with youth, fathers and mothers with children, Ukrainians with the peoples among whom we live. The Evil One always seeks to divide. But the Holy Spirit gathers and unites. Strengthen your bonds with one another. Support one another in times of difficulty. Encourage your children to remain steadfast in the faith of their ancestors, yet open to the universal mission of the Church.

Beloved in Christ, may this Sobor be a Pentecost moment for you all. May tongues of fire descend upon you, enlightening your minds and enkindling your hearts with zeal for the Gospel. May the Holy Spirit inspire your resolutions, strengthen your commitments, and give you courage to face the challenges of your day. Under the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, may you go forth from this Sobor renewed, emboldened, and filled with the joy of the Lord.

I bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May God crown your labors with success, grant health and strength to Archbishop Jeremiah, wisdom and vision to your clergy, and peace and salvation to all the faithful of the South American Eparchy.”

Archbishop Jeremiah welcomed everyone to Fram for the Sobor gathering, encouraging clergy and faithful to reflect upon the ministry and service of the Church and reminded them of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea - a foundation stone of Christian unity and faith.

In his own address to the Sobor in Spanish language, Archbishop Daniel reflected on the sacred responsibility of maintaining the Ukrainian Orthodox identity in the lands of South America. He spoke of the deep roots of the Gospel among the Ukrainian immigrants who, decades ago, settled in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. Carrying with them icons, crosses, and prayer books, they laid the foundation for vibrant parish communities that continue to serve as beacons of faith, culture, and heritage.

“Your Eminence, Beloved Brother in Christ Archbishop Jeremiah, Reverend Fathers, Venerable Deacons, Faithful Pani-matkas, and All Beloved People of God in Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and throughout South America: Christ is Among Us!

With overflowing joy and gratitude to Almighty God, I greet you on this sacred day of the 17th Sobor of your eparchy. After nine years of absence, the Lord has granted me the blessing to walk once again upon the holy soil of Paraguay, to enter this sacred temple, and to be among you - my brothers and sisters, my spiritual family - in order to represent our beloved Metropolitan Antony and to embrace you all in the love of Christ. 

This Sobor is not just a gathering of delegates, speeches, or reports. It is a Pentecost moment. It is the breath of the Holy Spirit descending upon you, filling your hearts with courage, your minds with wisdom, and your souls with fire to carry the Gospel of Christ into every corner of South America. When the Apostles were afraid and locked in the Upper Room, the Spirit came upon them like tongues of fire and sent them into the world. Today, beloved, the same Spirit comes upon you. You are those apostles in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.

We cannot forget who we are and whose we are. Our fathers and mothers left Ukraine with only their faith, their language, and their culture. They came to these lands - Brazilian, Argentine, Paraguayan - embracing new neighbors and new ways of life, but never abandoning their sacred heritage. They built churches, taught their children to sing in the Ukrainian tongue, and nourished their families with the holy bread of tradition. And now you, their descendants, are the living icons of that sacrifice. You are the answer to their prayers, the fruit of their courage, and the proof that faith cannot be broken by distance, oppression, or time.

But today, my beloved, we stand at new crossroads. The 21st century brings moral confusion, political and ecclesiastical division, and social challenges that tempt us to compromise our sacred mission. Technology has given us new tools, connecting continents and generations, yet it can also isolate us from true communion. We must not retreat in fear. Instead, let us claim these new tools and transform them into instruments of evangelism, proclaiming Christ not only in our temples but in every digital forum, every public square, and every home.

Remember: the Church is not a building - the Church is you, the people of God. Our calling is not to remain locked inside four walls, but to go forth, filled with the Holy Spirit, to bring Christ to the world.

I say to you, beloved youth: do not be afraid to be different. Do not be afraid to be “cool for Jesus.” Shine with the joy of the Gospel in your schools, your universities, your workplaces. Show the world that holiness is not weakness but the greatest strength. To our parents and elders, I say: honor the beauty of our traditions, our songs, our food, our poetry, our language - but above all, teach your children to be people of prayer. For it is in prayer that our identity is formed, our hearts are healed, and our mission is born.

To our clergy and seminarians, I say: proclaim the Gospel not only with words, but with lives of sacrifice, integrity, and compassion. Be shepherds who smell like the sheep, pastors who stand with their people in every trial, teachers who lead not only by preaching but by example.

As you deliberate in this Sobor, ask yourselves:

• How can we make the eternal Gospel new again for our generation?
• How can we reach those who no longer enter our temples?
• How can we build parishes that are not museums of the past, but living fountains of hope for the future?

Do not fear the questions. For the Spirit who guided Abraham into the unknown, Moses through the desert, the Apostles into the world, and our forefathers across oceans - that same Spirit guides you now.

My beloved brothers and sisters, I am humbled to stand among you. Though my Spanish and Portuguese fail me, I pray that the Holy Spirit will translate my heart into yours. Know this: though I was born in Ukraine, I stand here with you as a brother, as one of your family. Together, we are Christ.

We are one family - North and South America, Europe and Australia, Ukraine and the entire diaspora - united by the Cross, empowered by the Resurrection, and sustained by the Spirit.

Finally, allow me to share a joy that touched my heart during my time here. I was deeply moved to witness the passion and unity with which the people of Paraguay supported their national soccer team. I rejoice with you that your team did not lose its recent match! But more than the score, what inspired me was the love, energy, and solidarity that filled the air as Paraguayans stood shoulder to shoulder, cheering their team. It was a living icon of what it means to be a people united in hope and purpose.

Just as your team plays with courage on the field, so may we, as the Church, play with courage in the field of life - supporting one another, lifting each other up, and striving always toward the victory of Christ’s Kingdom. I am with you in this joy, and I will be cheering with Paraguay as you play your future games.

May the Most Holy Mother of God cover you with her protecting veil, and may the Lord grant you strength, peace, and inspiration for the sacred mission entrusted to you.”

Delegates heard reports from the three countries, highlighting the liturgical life, educational programs, youth activities, and charitable initiatives of their parishes. Much discussion was devoted to the need for leadership training, theological education for future clergy, and stronger networks of support for parish families and youth.

Special attention was also given to the future of monastic witness in the region and to developing parish resources for deepening the faithful’s participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

On Sunday, September 7, the Sobor delegates, together with more than 200 faithful, gathered at the Theophany of our Lord Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Fram for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. The celebration was filled with profound prayer and symbolic beauty:

• Children of the parish scattered flower petals along the pathway into the cathedral, creating a path of joy and hope.
• The youth of the parish presented bouquets of flowers as symbols of honesty and purity.
• The parish board president greeted the archpastors with the traditional gift of bread and salt, a sign of hospitality and blessing.
• Very Rev. Fr. Pablo Lisnichuk – pastor of the cathedral parish offered a cross, symbolizing the sacrificial love of Christ that is lived out in the mission of the Church.

Concelebrating clergy from Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay filled the holy altar, uniting their voices in prayer for the faithful of South America, for peace in Ukraine, and for the unity of the Orthodox Church throughout the world.

At the conclusion of the service, Archbishop Daniel once again conveyed the blessings of Metropolitan Antony, offering gratitude for the faith and dedication of the South American flock.

The celebration was also honored by the presence of the Mayor of Fram, who welcomed the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful, recognizing the historic contribution of the Ukrainian Orthodox community to the life of the city and the cultural mosaic of Paraguay.

The Ukrainian Orthodox presence in Paraguay traces its roots back to the early 20th century, when immigrants from Western Ukraine arrived with little more than faith and determination. In Fram and other towns, they built not only farms and homes, but also churches that became centers of spiritual life and cultural preservation. The parish of Theophany of our Lord has long stood as a pillar of Orthodoxy and Ukrainian identity, testifying that even far from the ancestral homeland, faith can flourish and inspire new generations.

The 17th Sobor of the South American Eparchy was not only an administrative gathering, but a spiritual renewal. It reminded the faithful that the Church’s mission is to preserve the faith, nourish the young, and guide families in holiness.

Upon the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Jeremiah, Vladyka Daniel’s closing words resounded with inspiration: “Together with Archbishop Jeremiah, I embrace you in Christ’s love. The mission of Ukrainian Orthodoxy in South America is a mission of hope, sacrifice, and joy. As you scatter the petals of faith for your children, may you also scatter the seeds of Christ’s Gospel for generations to come.”

The Sobor concluded with a festive luncheon in the parish hall, filled with fellowship, Ukrainian song, and renewed commitment to the work of Christ’s Church.