His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shares His Prayer Experience During Rocket Attacks
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, shared his prayer experience during air raids and missile attacks.
He spoke about this in a pre-Christmas interview for the YouTube channel Zhovti Kedy (“Yellow Sneakers”).
The interview was recorded on December 20, the same day the Russian army launched another missile attack on Kyiv, which killed one person, injured 12 others, and damaged the Roman Catholic Church of St. Nicholas.
During the conversation, interviewer Yulia Borysko asked His Beatitude Sviatoslav how he responds to such attacks and what prayers he offers to God.
Safety is paramount
The Head of the UGCC explained that during air raids, he and the employees seek shelter in the basement of the Patriarchal Center and the crypt of the Patriarchal Cathedral.
At the same time, he urged Ukrainians not to disregard air raid warnings: “Do not neglect the alarms, and do not risk your life or health.”
The power of the Jesus Prayer
During missile attacks, His Beatitude Sviatoslav prays in short phrases, especially the Jesus Prayer, but in Greek: “Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, ελέησόν με” (Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me).
He emphasized that this version of the prayer carries miraculous power in difficult circumstances: “It is an invocation of the name of Jesus and a plea for mercy.”
Why in Greek?
The Head of the Church explained why he prefers the Greek version of the prayer. The word “ελέησόν” holds a unique meaning, often translated as “pour oil, an ointment on my sores.”
“We are not asking for some sort of magical protection but for God’s mercy, which serves as a balm for our wounds,” he explained.
Such a prayer, he added, reveals both the nature of God and the nature of humanity: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The UGCC Department for Information
