Synodality in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for Development in Light of the Sources of Canon Law

Abstract

This article examines the canonical nature and practical aspects of the implementation of synodality in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) as a Church sui iuris. It analyses the synodal dimension through the prism of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) and the decisions of the Second Vatican Council. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Patriarch as ‘Father and Head’, the competences of the Synod of Bishops in the legislative and judicial spheres, as well as problematic issues of territorial jurisdiction. The procedure for the canonical election of bishops and the specifics of implementing synodal decisions outside the patriarchal territory are examined. The scientific novelty lies in a comprehensive analysis of the demarcation between the Patriarch’s administrative authority and the Synod’s legislative authority in the context of contemporary globalisation. A revision of the concept of ‘exclusive territoriality’ in favour of ‘relative territoriality’ is proposed, which corresponds to the ecclesiological reality of the dispersion of the faithful. Specific proposals are formulated regarding the extension of jurisdiction to the diaspora (North and South America, Australia) as a necessary step for preserving church unity and fulfilling the principle of salus animarum (the salvation of souls).