“To endure in defending Ukraine, love it,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav on how not to despair during wartime
People get weary from various activities and struggles. Our resources are depleted when we serve others. However, there is one force that does not exhaust us—love, love for God and neighbor. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, stated this in a Christmas interview broadcast on Suspilne on December 25, 2025.
The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is convinced that those who live in love and do everything in the name of love find renewed strength in it in one way or another.
“On the door of my room, I have placed the words of St. Augustine: ‘God, it is for You that I strive… The further I drift from You, the more I begin to wither, and the closer I come to You, the more I begin to flourish.’ These words help me to more deeply understand the motivation behind everything I do throughout the day,” shared His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
“In order not to grow weary of defending Ukraine, love it. In order not to grow weary of building relationships with your family and loved ones, learn to love them. We draw the strength of perseverance in our relationships with people from our love for God. And this strength, in fact, is not yet fully revealed to all of us. God loves us, and from this love we draw strength,” emphasized the Head of the UGCC.
