The Head of the UGCC in Week 227 of the War: We Have Come to Understand Even More Deeply the Profound Difference Between the History of Kyiv Christianity and the History of Moscow’s “Piety”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, made this statement in his traditional video address during the 227th week of the horrific, devastating, and sacrilegious war that Russia continues to wage against the independent and peaceful land of Ukraine.
The Primate noted that this week will go down in the history of world culture and global Christianity—regardless of denomination—because of what took place overnight into Monday.
“We endured one of the most intense airstrikes on Kyiv. In just one hour, more than 30 missiles were launched at the capital. The strike on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was the most devastating. Anyone who had hoped that the Russian occupiers had retained at least some moral, ethical, or Christian limits to their aggression has now been stripped of such illusions.”
“But most significantly, we have come to understand even more deeply that the history of Kyiv Christianity differs profoundly from the history of Moscow’s ‘piety.’ The holiness that originated in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has nothing in common with an ideology that disguises aggression and violence,” added His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the Church traditionally expressed his gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to the Lord God for helping us endure another week.
The spiritual leader also expressed special gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for remembering the tragedies Ukraine is currently facing during his recent General Audience, as well as for honoring the memory of the Ukrainian rescuers who lost their lives in Kharkiv while saving others.
Read also:
Address by the Head of the UGCC for the 227th Week of the Full-Scale War, June 21, 2026
His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that this Sunday marks two deeply spiritual events: “First of all, in Kyiv, together with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, we have begun commemorating a special jubilee—the 25th anniversary of the historic visit of Saint John Paul II to Ukraine. We call him the Pope of Ukrainian sovereignty, the Pope of Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation, the Pope who healed the wounds of our people’s historical memory with the balm of forgiveness and healing.”
According to him, over the coming week, academic, cultural, spiritual, and liturgical events will take place in Kyiv, Lviv, and other cities visited by the Holy Father.
The UGCC Department for Information
