Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church conducts webinar for the Catholic Association
“Ukraine: The Martyrdom of a People” — this was the theme of an educational webinar for members of the Catholic Association, which took place on May 12. The war in Ukraine, its historical background, the imperialist ideology of the ‘Russian world,’ and the ministry of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in wartime were the key topics discussed by participants in the online meeting.
The meeting was opened by Matteo Mazzucchi, editor of the Italian newspaper Il Foglio, who introduced His Beatitude Sviatoslav and the main interviewers of the webinar. Marco Invernazzi, national representative of the Catholic Association, briefed the Head of the UGCC on the association’s activities and highlighted the significant role of the UGCC in the international context regarding events in Ukraine.
Responding to Mazzucchi’s question about Pope Leo XIV’s first call for an end to the war in Ukraine, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasised: “This call has three essential aspects. The first is that the Pope expressed his special closeness to our people, calling Ukrainians ‘beloved people’. The second is the definition of the very concept of ‘peace’, which has lost its meaning in the modern context. For Pope Leo XIV, peace means truth and justice. And the third aspect of his appeal is focused on specific people, the first victims of this war: deported children and prisoners.”
Special attention was paid to the topic of “militarization of religion” in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Head of the UGCC explained that after the collapse of communism, the Church in Russia offered the state a new ideology—a blend of Russian nationalism and Stalinist religiosity. “It is this ideology that has penetrated the West under the guise of protecting traditional values, and for the domestic audience, as the restoration of a great and powerful Russia. According to this ideology, the Ukrainian people do not exist.” His Beatitude Sviatoslav characterized the ideology of the ‘Russian world’ as imperialist and genocidal.
When explaining the difference between patriotism and extreme nationalism, the Head of the UGCC noted: “There is a fundamental difference between these concepts, similar to the difference between altruism and egoism. Extreme nationalism is national egoism, which leads to national isolation and hostility towards anyone who does not belong to one’s own nationality. Today, in many countries, we witness various forms of national egoism. Patriotism, by contrast, is altruism that takes us beyond our own comfort zone. Ukrainian patriotism has no ethnic dimension; it is inclusive. Today, our homeland is defended by soldiers of different nationalities who speak different languages. They are ministered to by chaplains of different religions and denominations… The UGCC has always uphold the values of patriotism based on Christian values of sacrificial love for one’s neighbor.”
At the end of the meeting, the Head of the UGCC thanked the participants of the webinar, which was attended by nearly 200 people, and pointed out the Church’s duty to be the voice of truth in today’s world of propaganda and fake news. “Only the risen Christ is the hope of the Ukrainian people. He suffers in the body of our people, but the light of His resurrection will overcome any darkness.”
“Catholic Associoation” is an association that brings together Catholics from different countries around the world for the in-depth study and implementation of the social doctrine of the Church.
Secretariat of the Head of the UGCC in Rome
