“Thank you for your courage!’ — Head of the UGCC welcomed the delegation of Belgian bishops in Kyiv
On February 21, 2023, on the day ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, representatives of the Catholic bishops of Belgium arrived in Ukraine with a visit of fraternal solidarity. They began their four-day visit by meeting with the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, at his residence in Kyiv.
“Welcome! Thank you for your courage. For coming to Ukraine, particularly these days requires great courage,” the Head of the UGCC greeted the Belgian bishops.
Introducing the members of the delegation, Bishop Johan Bonny noted that almost half of the Belgian Bishops’ Conference had arrived in Ukraine. He said that Belgium has eight diocesan bishops and three auxiliary bishops. “On behalf of all of them, we send you our greetings. We sympathize with this drama in your country. Many Ukrainians have also come to us, less than in Poland and Germany, but still a lot. We are trying to welcome them well,” he said.
Bishop Johan Bonn noted the ministry of Bishop Hlib Lonchyna and his predecessor, Bishop Borys Gudziak, who often met with bishops in Belgium. Thanks to this, fruitful cooperation has been established over the past few years to find churches, support families, etc. Bishop Johan also noted the ministry of Greek Catholic priests in Belgium.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the delegation of the Belgian bishops for their presence and what they did for the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian refugees who had come “to the fringe of Western Europe.” Then he told how he survived the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, how the Church began to save human lives, and about the atrocities of the Russians in Ukraine. The head of the UGCC emphasized that the professional Ukrainian army and ordinary people stood up to defend the homeland. He told several stories of the incredible resistance of Ukrainians, particularly in the settlements in the north of the country. The Primate also noted the coordinated cooperation between churches and religious organizations, especially in the first months of the great war.
The Head of the UGCC said how during the year, Ukrainians had to fight not only on the battlefield but also compete in battles for the sowing campaign in the spring and then for the harvest in the fall when farmers risked their lives cultivating the fertile lands of Ukraine, one-third of which are now mined. He said the Ukrainian land had produced more fruit this year than ever. Another battle we had to fight was the ability to export Ukrainian bread to prevent world hunger.
After the meeting with His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Belgian bishops went to the Roman Catholic Church of St. Alexander, where they met with the Ordinary Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskiy of Kyiv-Zhytomyr and celebrated a Holy Mass.
On February 21–22, the delegation will be in Kyiv and the surrounding area, including Irpin and Bucha.
On February 23–24, the bishops will be in Lviv. First, they will visit UCU, the Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Lviv Theological Seminary of the Holy Spirit. Then, on the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, after a prayer at the Lychakiv Cemetery, they will pray for peace in Ukraine at St. George Cathedral with Metropolitan Ihor Vozniak. They will also visit the House of Mercy for orphans and modular towns.
The UGCC Department for Information
