Address by the Head of the UGCC for the 240th Week of the Full-Scale War, September 20, 2026
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
This Sunday marks the 240th week of this horrific, bloody, and sacrilegious war. It has been a week in which, day and night, the Russians have terrorized our peaceful cities and villages, while our Armed Forces—our defenders of the Ukrainian skies—have stood guard over human life around the clock. Moreover, they are driving the enemy from Ukrainian soil and liberating our Ukrainian lands from the occupier’s murderous grip.
This week, however, is particularly notorious for the Russians’ daily acts of terror against the vital infrastructure of our cities and villages. Just imagine: on the night of September 17 alone, the Russians struck Kyiv with about a dozen ballistic missiles of various types and launched 160 drones. When all this weaponry is directed at a single location, the consequences are simply catastrophic.
Every day, the Russians destroy two or three gas stations in Kyiv, thereby attempting to deprive the city’s residents not only of gasoline and other fuel, but also of their sense of security and any certainty that life will go on.
Odesa and Zaporizhzhia have also endured this kind of terrorism. The Sumy and Odesa regions have perhaps suffered the most from the destruction of their infrastructure networks.
On Kyiv’s right bank, warehouses, hospitals, medical facilities, and educational institutions were in flames every day. On the left bank of Kyiv, the water supply was disrupted. But thank God that rescue workers and utility workers are faithfully carrying out their duties.
What is most appalling is that the Russians consistently carry out so-called “double strikes.” When a strike claims lives and destroys our cities and villages, medics and rescue workers immediately rush to the scene. Then a second strike hits the very same spot, aimed at killing those who have come to save lives.
That is why today we are coming to understand more and more deeply that preserving our humanity in such circumstances is also a victory. Preserving our humanity is, perhaps, the purpose of our struggle today.
In these circumstances, we see that Russia is waging war not only against the Ukrainian state and its infrastructure, but against human dignity itself. Civilians are being turned into targets. The wounded and those who have suffered are reduced to statistics. And people’s fear and exhaustion are being weaponized. Ukraine is defending not only its territory but also the human right to live, to be free, to receive help, and not to be abandoned. Therefore, preserving our humanity is not a secondary task; it is, perhaps, the very core of our victory.
Today, I would like to express my special gratitude to all those who are fighting for humanity in the midst of war, both in Ukraine and around the world. I want to thank our rescuers and medical workers for their selfless, heroic efforts.
Today I want to appeal to all our parishes, parish communities, and congregations: turn your attention to those in your community or parish who may have been wounded and care for them; inquire about the lives of the families of the fallen and those whose loved ones are missing. Take care of them. In this way, we will truly be able to triumph every day by defending human dignity and humanity itself at the heart of our Church.
I would like to address our international friends and partners in particular: support the struggle for humanity in Ukraine, especially by supporting the needs of these people. Because Ukraine’s recovery begins today. Human recovery—and humanity itself—cannot be put off until after the war.
That is why, once again today, we speak from the heart of our long-suffering Ukraine: Ukraine stands. Ukraine fights. Ukraine prays!
This Sunday, according to our Church calendar and the liturgical life of the Church, is called the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross. Throughout this entire week, the veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord has been at the center of our Church’s spiritual focus, prayer, and liturgical life.
Today, the central Gospel words that the Church reflects upon and draws spiritual nourishment from are the profound words of Jesus Christ to His disciples: “If anyone wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
We see that our Savior does not want to relieve us of the cross; He does not want to spare us from our personal suffering—perhaps even our own Way of the Cross. No. He wants to walk through it with us. He leads us through suffering, torment, and even death; He goes one step ahead of us and calls us to follow Him. Why? Because on the cross, Christ conquered everything that destroys and kills a person today. That is why He says: “Follow Me, but let us walk together toward the Resurrection.”
That is why we sing, “To Your Cross, O Master, we bow in veneration, and we glorify Your holy Resurrection.” Here lies the blueprint for our victory; here lies the source of our humanity, the source and meaning of our hope.
We pray: Lord, You are the One we trust and follow on Ukraine’s Way of the Cross. Stop the war and bless our Motherland with Your just and heavenly peace.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and forever, and for the ages of ages. Amen.
