Head of the UGCC on the 365th day of the war: “It has been a year since tremendous crimes against God and man were committed”
A year of pain and suffering has passed, a year of war crimes that the world must acknowledge and condemn. On the 365th day of the war, we thank the Lord for letting us continue the fight against the evils of war. We thank Him and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for surviving and being able to say today: Ukraine is alive! Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!
It was stated by the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, in his daily military address on the 365th day of the large-scale war that the Russian occupier brought to our land.
Today, His Beatitude Sviatoslav completed his reflections on what vocation is. In particular, the Patriarch warned against the danger of losing it.
“A person who has chosen his or her vocation must secure his or her choice with daily decisions without changing it,” the Head of the UGCC is convinced. The Primate warned that if a person closes himself off and thinks that the vocation, God’s gift, is his own treasure, he may lose it.
“God accomplishes his plan in us through our constant prayer. And we can fully realize our vocation by listening to God’s call every day, and problems regarding vocation appear when our prayer, our communication with God gets interrupted,” he said.The Primate called to pray for everyone to endure in their vocation. “Let us escape from self-isolation. Let us open ourselves to communication with God and our neighbor. Let us seek advice, ask for help if we encounter difficulties,” the Head of the Church encouraged.
“To endure in the vocation even unto death should be the intention of personal daily prayer,” he emphasized.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also reminded us that tomorrow, February 24, marks the first anniversary of Ukraine’s brutal, full-scale war. Therefore, the Synod of Bishops proclaimed the Day of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving this day. Tomorrow, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations and all believers in Ukraine will pray, fast, and perform works of mercy and love.
The Head of the UGCC called for participation in the prayer marathon, which Zhyve Television will hold from 12:00 to 00:00 that day.
“This constant prayer will be a time of unity and solidarity among Ukrainians worldwide. Hence, I invite all the faithful of our Church to join this prayerful standing, for we feel that by uniting in prayer, fasting, and good deeds, we win. And we need spiritual strength to bring our victory closer!” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Primate called on everyone to perform some act of mercy, to donate something to save the victims of this war. “In particular,” he said, “our Church has a patriarchal foundation called ‘Wise Cause’ which is a kind of urgent help from the Head of the Church to save those who are in the greatest danger, and we would be very grateful if you could make donations to this foundation.”
The UGCC Department for Information
