Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity Held at Patriarchal Cathedral
On January 18, the Patriarchal Cathedral hosted an Interfaith Prayer Service for Christian Unity. It opened a week of ecumenical prayers under the theme “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). The prayer was led by Bishop Yosyf Milian, Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy of the UGCC, in concelebration with Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas, bishops and clergy of the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches.
Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetsky, Bishop of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, reflected on the theme of the event, which is the words of the Evangelist Luke. He reminded us that every year, from January 18 to 25, Christians worldwide meet for ecumenical prayers for unity.
Bishop Oleksandr reminded us that Christ’s apostles were very different, but Christ united them around Himself despite their disagreements. He noted that each country has various challenges for Christians. For example, the Catholic Church is dominant in Poland, while there is a broader diversity of denominations in Ukraine. Another challenge for Christians in Ukraine is the war. It is said that nothing unites more like a common enemy. Charitable activities and prayer for Ukraine also unite Ukrainian churches.
At the end of the Moleben, Bishop Yosyf Milian emphasized that the Patriarchal Cathedral unites Ukrainians, particularly Greek Catholics, all over the world. The cathedral plays a vital role in cultivating the word of God and modern Ukrainian culture.
The UGCC Department for Information,Photo by the press service of the Kyiv Archeparchy
