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{{Main article|Religious persecution}}

{{Main article|Religious persecution}}

[[File:Interior of St. George's Cathedral in Lviv, Ukraine.jpg|thumb|Interior of St. George's Cathedral in [[Lviv]].]]

[[File:Interior of St. George's Cathedral in Lviv, Ukraine.jpg|thumb|Interior of St. George's Cathedral in [[Lviv]].]]

With the start of [[World War II]], most of [[Galicia]] was annexed by the [[Soviet Union]]. The new communist administration acted decisively to eradicate the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: in April [[1945]], all its bishops were arrested and sentenced to forced labor. Regime officials detained seven Greco-Catholic bishops overnight on October 28, 1948, accusing them of "high treason" after they refused to convert to "Orthodoxy".<ref name=PopeFrancis/> The Metropolitan [[Josyf Slipyi]], head of the Church, was sent to prison in [[Siberia]]. He was not released until [[1963]], after which he was exiled to Rome. In the same year, he was given the title of ''Major Archbishop of the Ukrainians in Lviv'', and in [[1965]] he was made a cardinal. He died in [[1984]].

With the start of [[World War II]], most of [[Galicia]] was annexed by the [[Soviet Union]]. The new communist administration acted decisively to eradicate the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: in April [[1945]], all its bishops were arrested and sentenced to forced labor. Regime officials detained seven Greco-Catholic bishops in Romania overnight on October 28, 1948, accusing them of "high treason" after they refused to convert to "Orthodoxy".<ref name=PopeFrancis/> The Metropolitan [[Josyf Slipyi]], head of the Church, was sent to prison in [[Siberia]]. He was not released until 1963, after which he was exiled to Rome. In the same year, he was given the title of ''Major Archbishop of the Ukrainians in Lviv'', and in 1965 he was made a cardinal. He died in 1984.

In [[1989]], towards the end of communism, Ukrainian Greek Catholics were granted the right to register with the [[Government of Ukraine]]. With the support of local authorities, Ukrainian Catholics gradually reclaimed their old parishes. This marked the beginning of a strong resurgence of Catholicism in the region.

In 1989, towards the end of communism, Ukrainian Greek Catholics were granted the right to register with the Government of Ukraine. With the support of local authorities, Ukrainian Catholics gradually reclaimed their old parishes. This marked the beginning of a strong resurgence of Catholicism in the region.

In [[1991]], Cardinal [[Miroslav Ivan Lubachivsky]], the exiled head of the Ukrainian Church, was allowed to leave Rome and reside in Lviv. In [[1992]], Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops from around the world convened for a synod in the city for the first time in several decades. In the same year, the remains of Cardinal Josyf Slipyi were transferred from Rome to Lviv, where they were buried next to Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. In July [[1993]], four new dioceses were created.

In 1991, Cardinal [[Miroslav Ivan Lubachivsky]], the exiled head of the Ukrainian Church, was allowed to leave Rome and reside in Lviv. In 1992, Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops from around the world convened for a synod in the city for the first time in several decades. In the same year, the remains of Cardinal Josyf Slipyi were transferred from Rome to Lviv, where they were buried next to Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. In July 1993, four new dioceses were created.

{{cquote|Only two weeks before the San Francisco conference, on 11 April 1945, a detachment of NKVD troops surrounded the St. George Cathedral in Lviv and arrested Metropolitan Slipyj, two bishops, two prelates and several priests. All the students in the city’s theological seminary were driven from the school, while their professors were told that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had ceased to exist, that its Metropolitan was arrested and his place was to be taken by a Soviet-appointed bishop. These acts were repeated all over Western Ukraine and across the Curzon Line in Poland. At least seven bishops were arrested or were never heard from again. There is no Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church still free in the area. Five hundred clergy who met to protest the action of the Soviets, were shot or arrested.<ref name=Manipulation>{{cite web|url=https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/01/11/kgb-christians-putin-stalin-kgbs-history-manipulating-orthodox-church/|title=KGB ‘Christians’: Putin, Stalin, and the KGB’s History of Manipulating the Orthodox Church|date=11 January 2016|publisher=[[Breitbart]]}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Only two weeks before the San Francisco conference, on 11 April 1945, a detachment of NKVD troops surrounded the St. George Cathedral in Lviv and arrested Metropolitan Slipyj, two bishops, two prelates and several priests. All the students in the city’s theological seminary were driven from the school, while their professors were told that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had ceased to exist, that its Metropolitan was arrested and his place was to be taken by a Soviet-appointed bishop. These acts were repeated all over Western Ukraine and across the Curzon Line in Poland. At least seven bishops were arrested or were never heard from again. There is no Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church still free in the area. Five hundred clergy who met to protest the action of the Soviets, were shot or arrested.<ref name=Manipulation>{{cite web|url=https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/01/11/kgb-christians-putin-stalin-kgbs-history-manipulating-orthodox-church/|title=KGB ‘Christians’: Putin, Stalin, and the KGB’s History of Manipulating the Orthodox Church|date=11 January 2016|publisher=[[Breitbart]]}}</ref>}}