This May 8th, the Solemnity of the Pure and Immaculate Conception of Lujan, we want to give thanks to God our Lord who, through the intercession of the “Most pure Virgin Mary, Mother of beautiful love, Abyss of graces and powerful intermediary between God and men, by whose hands come all favors and benefits from heaven that we attain”[1], wanted to give us the enormous grace of choosing one of our own to be the FIRST BISHOP OF THE IVE.
We are referring to the appointment that His Holiness Pope Francis made today of
Fr. Teodor Matsapula, IVE
as bishop of the Byzantine rite Eparchy of Mukachevo in Ukraine.
Msgr. Teodor Matsapula was born on August 21,1981, in Krylos, in the region of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
In 2001, he entered the novitiate of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, continuing his studies at the International San Vitaliano Seminary, in Segni, and at the San Bruno Centre for Higher Studies (2002-2008). On August 25, 2007, he made his perpetual vows and on February 10, 2008, he was ordained a priest.
From 2008 to 2013, he provided pastoral service to the Catholic faithful of the Byzantine rite outside Ukraine. Upon returning to his home country, he continued his ministry in the eparchy of Mukachevo. From 2013 to 2019 he was Protoigumeno (Superior) of the then-delegation of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, in Ukraine. From 2017, he was syncellus for religious of the Greek-Catholic eparchy of Mukachevo. In 2018, he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from the National University of Prykarpattia. In 2022, he was awarded a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Ukrainian Catholic University.
Congratulations to Father Teodoro. A gift for the Church and the Religious Family on the day of Our Lady of Lujan. We commit our prayers to him and his pastoral ministry.