Home Catechetical Corner Cross of Gratitude pilgrimage stops at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church beginning...

Cross of Gratitude pilgrimage stops at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church beginning Jan. 21

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The Cross of Gratitude (Courtesy photo)

A cross erected in Ukraine to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of Jesus’ death will be in the Diocese of Wilmington for the last 10 days of January. It is part of a pilgrimage to take the Cross of Gratitude to all of the capitals of the world.

The host site in the diocese will be St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, 800 W. Lea Blvd., Wilmington. The church will be open for veneration during the following times:

Jan. 21, 10 a.m.-noon and 4-6 p.m.

Jan. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Jan. 23, noon-4 p.m.

Jan. 24-28, 10 a.m.-noon and 4-6 p.m.

Jan. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Jan. 30, noon-4 p.m.

The pilgrimage of the cross of gratitude began in Lviv, Ukraine, in November 2005. The large oak cross, which has a figure of the crucified savior on it, has been to 46 cities and is currently in the United States. Future visits are planned for South America, Asia, Africa and Indonesia and Australia.

The aim of the pilgrimage, according to Father Volodymyr Klanichka, the pastor of St. Nicholas, “is to unite all nations of the world into one family at the Cross of Jesus and that he gives us the gift of eternal life.”

St. Pope John Paul II blessed the initiators of this mission, and two years later, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the cross in Krakow, Poland. It also has been blessed by Pope Francis.It has traveled throughout Europe and has been in the United States for the past few months.