His Beatitude Sviatoslav meets with Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the UGCC, met with the mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, during his pastoral visit to the city. They spoke about the city’s current problems, suffering from the war, and how the Church can help.
First of all, the mayor thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav and Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv, who was present at the meeting, for the sizeable humanitarian mission that the UGCC has been engaged in in Kharkiv since the first days of the full-scale invasion.
The Head of the UGCC expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to visit Kharkiv and thanked Mr. Ihor for his courage: “As mayor, you are truly a father to this city. You feel the pain of people with your heart every time we hear that Kharkiv has been shelled.” The bishop emphasized that he is grateful for young employees who are flexible and agile: “Thank you for trusting young people, and young people will then trust you and love you.”
The mayor of Kharkiv spoke about the destruction of the city and the efforts to rebuild it.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav recalled his last meeting with the mayor a year ago and pointed out that that meeting allowed him to be the voice of Kharkiv to the world. This time, the Head of the Church had the same opportunity to show respect to the city authorities and thank all Kharkiv residents for their courage.
In addition, the Head of the UGCC promised that he would continue to support the Kharkiv region, mainly in humanitarian emergencies, because, according to Ihor Terekhov, more than 160,000 people who are in dire need of assistance have come to Kharkiv from the de-occupied territories.
At the meeting, a focal point of discussion was the need to repatriate people to the city. The mayor of Kharkiv noted that this is the biggest challenge today, as it is imperative to educate people and encourage young people to return to their homeland from abroad.
The Primate mentioned that the key theme of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which is held in Rome this year, will be the support of Ukrainian refugees abroad.
“Our Church will continue to pray and do everything possible to ensure that Kharkiv survives, heals its wounds, and continues to develop. May the Lord God bless this courageous Ukrainian city,” said the Head of the UGCC.
The UGCC Department for Information
