Stefan Soroka

Who is Stefan Soroka?

Stephen Soroka is a Canadian prelate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, currently serving as Archbishop of Philadelphia in the United States.

He was born to Ivan and Anna Soroka in Winnipeg, where his family had immigrated that same year. After studying at the Catholic University of America, the University of Manitoba, and St. Josaphat Seminary, Soroka was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Maxim Hermaniuk, C.Ss.R., on June 13, 1982. He then served as Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor of Winnipeg, along with doing pastoral work.

On March 29, 1996, Soroka was appointed Titular Bishop of Acarassus and Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of Winnipeg. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 13 from Archbishop Michael Bzdel, C.Ss.R., with Bishops Cornelius Pasichny, OSBM, and Wolodymyr Paska serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of Ss. Vladimir and Olga.

Soroka was named the sixth Archbishop of Philadelphia on November 29, 2000, and was installed as such on February 27, 2001. In this capacity, he is the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Philadelphia, which is in full communion with the Holy See.