Mykola Bychok was born on 13 February 1980 in Ternopil, in western Ukraine. He entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer — the Redemptorists — in 1997, made his perpetual vows in 2003, and was ordained a priest in Lviv on 3 May 2005.
His ministry carried him far: a missionary among Ukrainian Catholics in Russia, a monastery superior and parish priest in Ivano-Frankivsk, treasurer of his Redemptorist province, and from 2015 to 2020 pastor of a Ukrainian parish in Newark, New Jersey.
In 2020 Pope Francis named him Eparchial Bishop of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne, with care of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. Francis created him a cardinal at the consistory of 7 December 2024 — at forty-four, the youngest member of the entire College of Cardinals.
Consequential Quotes
That completely shocked me… My dream was to be a Redemptorist, to be a missionary, full stop.
We are paying a huge cost in this war… It is very dangerous, not only for Ukraine, but for the whole civilized world.
We should remember this call from Our Lady of Fatima — please pray for the conversion of Russia.
Hope never disappoints. It is very important not to lose hope, this Christian virtue.
We try to be the voice of Ukraine — constantly reminding Australian society that there is a war going on in Ukraine.
Major Works & Initiatives
Eparch of Melbourne
Shepherds the Ukrainian Greek Catholic faithful across Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, working to reach diaspora youth — including more English in the liturgy — while preserving the Eastern tradition.
The voice of Ukraine at war
Has framed his cardinalate as amplifying Ukraine's voice during Russia's full-scale invasion and coordinating humanitarian assistance, calling the war a danger 'for the whole civilized world.'
Prayer for peace in Rome
The day after his elevation he led a prayer for peace in Ukraine in Rome, tying the Church's witness to Our Lady of Fatima's call to pray for the conversion of Russia.
A young Church
A standard-bearer for what he calls a 'young church,' emphasizing evangelization of the next generation and a Catholic presence in the digital sphere.