His Beatitude Sviatoslav Assures Relatives of Captured Ukrainian Defenders of Church Full Support
On January 13, 2025, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, met with relatives of Mariupol defenders at his residence in Kyiv. The gathering brought together mothers of soldiers who had been freed from captivity, along with mothers and wives of Azov soldiers still held captive.
Among those present was Maksym Savonin, who, along with other conscripts, was exchanged on August 24, 2024. His released comrades are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
“We must thank God for saving them,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav said to the relatives of the liberated heroes. He added, “It is wonderful that you are united. The release of your children is a beacon of hope for many others.”
The meeting provided an opportunity for the mothers and wives of captured soldiers to share their pain and hope for their loved ones’ release. On behalf of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed profound respect and assured them of the Church’s full support—diplomatic, informational, moral, and spiritual.
“You can be assured of one thing: we love you and honor your pain and tears, which are especially precious before the Lord,” he said.
The Primate outlined the UGCC’s efforts to advance diplomatic initiatives for prisoner exchanges. He recalled the Easter appeals of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew advocating an “all-for-all” exchange. Additionally, he shared that he had personally handed over several thousand names of Ukrainian prisoners of war to the Vatican. His Beatitude acknowledged the complexity of the process, noting that UGCC priests Ivan Levytsky and Bohdan Geleta from Berdiansk had also been held captive.
He further highlighted the Church’s collaboration with Ukrainian state authorities in efforts to secure prisoner releases.
The mothers thanked His Beatitude for his assistance in freeing their sons, whose names they had submitted to him in June 2024 during the presentation of his book Ukraine Stands! Ukraine Fights! Ukraine Prays. They also expressed gratitude for the spiritual support provided by UGCC priests.
“We are grateful for your support and prayers. Prayer makes this journey easier,” they said.
Maksym Savonin shared memories of his captivity, including the attack on Olenivka, where many Ukrainian prisoners of war lost their lives, and his interactions with Fr. Ivan Levytsky in Horlivka.
His Beatitude encouraged Maksym to “have the courage to dream and live on.”
The meeting concluded with a joint prayer for Ukrainian defenders and their families.
