Head of the UGCC: By Hearing the Cry of the Poor, We Hear the Voice of Eternity
“Let us hear the cry of the poor today and see their outstretched hands. Then we can be confident that in eternity, we will rest with them in the bosom of our Father Abraham,” said the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, during a sermon at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv on the 22 nd Sunday after Pentecost.
Concelebrating with the Head of the Church were the auxiliary bishops of the Kyiv Archeparchy, Bishop Yosyf Milan and Bishop Andriy Khimyak, along with the clergy of the Archeparchy.
In his homily, the Primate reflected on the significance of the day’s Gospel reading—the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31). His Beatitude Sviatoslav highlighted the parable’s powerful message, emphasizing the contrast between wealth and poverty and reminding the faithful that in eternity, all earthly inequalities will be rectified.
The preacher explained that the name “Lazarus” means “God helps.” He then pointed out how Christ, through His actions and teachings, consistently stands in solidarity with the most disadvantaged.
“It was the Lord Himself who seemed to identify with those whom society considers scorned ones,” said the bishop. “We sometimes call those without support, hope, or wealth ‘the poor,’ because God alone hears their cry.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also noted the parable’s deep irony: the rich man, who ignored Lazarus during his earthly life, later seeks his help in torment.
“The true irony of this parable lies in the fact that the hand of the poor does not take from us but offers help to us—those who consider ourselves abundant,” he explained.
In the context of remembering the victims of the Holodomor—Ukrainians who were starved and murdered during the Great Famine—the Father and Head of the UGCC urged: “As we commemorate the children of Ukraine who perished in the Holodomor, let us also remember the Lazaruses lying at our doorsteps today. Let us consider the millions of Ukrainians displaced by war, who need our solidarity and support.”
During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav ordained four deacons to the priesthood: Ihor Ambroz, Mykhailo Bodnar, Volodymyr Lytvynchuk, and Mykola Ostapiv. He emphasized that this ordination is a testament to God’s helping hand extended to the Church and Ukraine, saying: “God sends us those who will nourish His people with the Body and Blood of our Savior.”
In addressing the newly ordained priests, His Beatitude added: “As you seek support for your spiritual lives and work to develop our communities, remember Lazarus’s hand, through which God’s help will reach you—if you can see, hear, and accept it.”
