“The Three Pillars of Ukrainian Unity: Unity of Mind, Conscience, and a Common Heart” — His Beatitude Sviatoslav
On August 21 in Kyiv, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, took part in the national roundtable discussion “35 Years of Restored Independence: Unity Around the Flag,” held under the auspices of the Kyiv Security Forum.
Addressing the participants, the Primate emphasized that today, unity is the inner strength of the Ukrainian people and essential to their ability to defend their independence. “Today, more than ever, it is timely and appropriate—in light of recent developments in Ukrainian society, external challenges, and the approaching 35th anniversary—to speak about unity. For us Ukrainians, unity—especially today—is a word that speaks to the inner strength and ability of our people to defend their independence,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the UGCC recalled the words of an old Ukrainian prayer: “In unity lies the strength of the people. O God, grant us unity.” At the same time, he suggested reflecting on unity through three concepts from the Christian intellectual tradition.
The first of these is the Greek word “homonoia,” meaning unity of mind. According to the Primate, this does not mean that everyone must think alike.
“Unity of mind does not mean that we must all think alike. But we must seek the truth together. A healthy democracy requires critical thinking, transparency, and uncompromising principles, especially when it comes to various forms of moral and social evil,” he explained.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav added that unity does not demand that all citizens belong to a single political party or social movement: “Unity of mind is the fruit of free people who know how to seek the truth together.”
The second concept is the Greek term “syneidesis,” meaning conscience, or the awareness of the truth. According to the Head of the Church, it implies a person’s ability to translate what they know into concrete actions.
“People without a conscience will never do anything good, because they will always be enslaved by their own selfishness, which stands in opposition to the common good,” the Primate emphasized.
The third word was the Latin “concordia,” which means “to have a common heart.” His Beatitude Sviatoslav called on Ukrainians to recognize the need to seek the common good of the people and the state together and to unite around a common goal and mission.
According to him, this is precisely why the round table’s title—“Unity Around the Flag”—is so symbolic: “This is the symbol that must guide us today in three dimensions—unity of mind, a unified conscience, and our common Ukrainian free heart and spirit.”
In conclusion, the Father and Head of the UGCC wished the participants freedom in their thoughts, that they might listen to their own consciences while caring for the common good, and that they might strive toward unity of hearts.
“I hope that we will all reach the moment when we have a common heart that shapes history and leads us into the future. I wish everyone God’s blessing, unity of mind, conscience, and a common heart,” concluded His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The roundtable brought together Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum; government and civil society leaders; military personnel; human rights defenders; diplomats; scholars; and media representatives.
The UGCC Department for Information
