Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Visit Servicemen and Medical Staff at Ukrainian Armed Forces Hospital
On April 11, Holy Saturday, Bishop Stepan Sus, head of the Pastoral and Migration Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Bishop Andriy Khimyak, secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, visited the Ukrainian Armed Forces Hospital. During the visit, they prayed together and blessed Easter gifts for the military and medical staff.
“In times of war, you are the ones who sustain life,” Bishop Stepan emphasized, addressing those present. “Your service is not merely a profession; it is a calling that touches the very heart of a human being. May the Risen Christ strengthen you and grant you victory and peace that every heart longs for.”
Bishop Andriy Khimyak added that the visit was intended to support those present and to affirm the belief in the victory of life over death:
“Today we come to you not only with gifts, but with the belief that life is stronger than death. Where there is sacrifice and love, the power of the Resurrection is active. Thank you all for this daily witness. We hope that everyone who is on duty or undergoing treatment during this festive season may experience the joy of Christ’s Resurrection—even here, in the daily struggle for life.”
The bishops then visited various wards, spoke with medical staff and servicemen, sang “Christ is Risen” together, and gave Easter gifts.
Representatives of the clergy, monastics, and the seminary community joined in organizing the event. In particular, Bohdan Dzyurakh, Apostolic Exarch in Germany and Scandinavia; Fr. Vasyl Bilynsky; the Sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Family in Kyiv; the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary in Knyazhychi; and seminarian Mykhailo Kostiv.
The hospital administration and the Chief Military Chaplain of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Fr. Oleh Sknar, also contributed to the conduct of this day.
“Even where the pain is most acute, Easter arrives quietly but firmly. In words of support, in shared prayer, in the sharing of Easter joy, hope is born. And today, it heals no less than medicine,” wrote Vitaliy Voetsa, military medical chaplain and head of the UGCC Commission on Pastoral Health Care of the Kyiv Archeparchy, on his Facebook page.
The UGCC Department for Information
