Vatican Announces Final Stage of Andrey Sheptytsky’s Canonization

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has announced that the canonization process of the prominent head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Andrey Sheptytsky, has reached its final stage. He made this statement during the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, currently being held in Rome. The news was reported by IAREX.

According to Semeraro, the final documentation is already being prepared for printing.

“The documentation is now at the printing stage. As soon as it is ready, we will submit it for expert review. And if any clarifications are needed, we will certainly make them. However, we are already at the final stage,” the cardinal stated.

The canonization process of Sheptytsky has been ongoing for decades. For many years, it was promoted by representatives of the UGCC, but Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI refrained from taking official steps on the matter.

In July 2015, Pope Francis signed a decree recognizing Andrey Sheptytsky as a “Servant of God,” which formally opened the path to his canonization. This decision provoked a sharp negative reaction from several Polish patriotic organizations, which view Sheptytsky as a supporter of Ukrainian nationalism.

It was also previously reported that on June 10, 2025, the Cherkasy Art Museum opened a traveling exhibition titled “Beacon of the Spirit: Andrey Sheptytsky,” dedicated to the life and work of this controversial UGCC figure. The exhibition was organized jointly by the Cherkasy Art Museum and the Sheptytsky Center of the Ukrainian Catholic University.