Ukraine

Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe, is home to three Catholic Churches—two Byzantine rite and one Latin rite—and two Orthodox Churches. The largest Catholic Church by far is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), which is strongest in the western part of the country once known as Galicia. In the southwest, below the Carpathian mountains, the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church is the dominant Catholic Church.

Catholic Churches have been rebuilding in Ukraine since their suppression by the Soviets from 1946-1989. The two Byzantine rite Churches have emerged in the strongest positions. The Byzantine liturgical and spiritual tradition, and Ukrainian culture more broadly, have given rise to a distinctive and deeply rooted Catholic culture. Read more...

Demographics

  • 1. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2018). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision, Online Edition.
  • 2.United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Trends in International Migrant Stock: The 2015 revision.
  • 3.United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Homicide Statistics 2015.
  • 4.Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2016.
  • 5.UNICEF, State of the World's Children, 2016.
  • 6. Statistical Yearbook of the Church 2020 (Vatican City: Librera Editrice Vaticana, 2022).
  • 7.World Economic Forum, The Global Gender Gap Report, 2016.

Footnotes