Russian Shelling Damaged a Convent in Kramatorsk
As a result of Russian shelling over the past three weeks, the convent of the convent of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará in Kramatorsk has been damaged twice. The Donetsk Exarchate reports that, despite the attacks, the sisters continue their ministry and ask for prayers.
Since 2018, the sisters of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word have been serving in the Donetsk Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church alongside the priests of this monastic family. After the outbreak of the full-scale invasion, they settled in Kramatorsk, where the convent became a place of prayer, pastoral ministry, and support for local residents.
In recent years, the sisters have been teaching catechism to children and young people, preparing them for their First Confession and First Holy Communion, assisting in parishes, and visiting families living in conditions of constant danger.
The enemy regards nothing as sacred: neither a church nor a convent, a cross, an icon, or a place of prayer. But the gravest sacrilege is the disregard for human life, created in the image and likeness of God,” the nuns emphasize.
They also called on the faithful to pray for the Donetsk Exarchate, for the people living in frontline areas, for the military, and for priests and consecrated persons who, at the risk of their own lives, continue to serve others and proclaim Christ.
Like His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the sisters bear witness to the unbreakable faith with words that have become a prayer for many Ukrainians: “Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!
The Exarch of Donetsk, Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, also commented on the situation. He emphasized that the destruction of churches and monasteries and the deaths of civilians are yet another illustration of the true nature of the Russian aggressor.
“It is deeply saddening when those who proclaim to the whole world that they are true Christians tirelessly torture and kill prisoners, destroy churches and monasteries, and, without a shred of remorse, kill hundreds of innocent civilians. It is distressing that the civilized world continues to believe Russian propaganda, turning a blind eye to the genocide of innocent people.
God, protect our frontline cities and villages! Do not let the value and dignity of human life be trampled by an insatiable, demonic enemy. Grant everyone the strength to endure and await Your victory!”
The Donetsk Exarchate emphasizes that, despite the shelling, the Church continues to stand by its people: “Priests, monks, and nuns are not abandoning their people. They are living proof that faith, love, and hope are stronger than violence.”
The UGCC Department for Information
