“To have the courage to give life is the ultimate manifestation of victory”: His Beatitude Sviatoslav at a meeting with Obnova
The Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, and members of the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the UGCC met in Chernivtsi with the student and academic association Obnova on their 25th anniversary and the youth of the diocese. Last year, the Chernivtsi Obnova initiated a series of meetings with distinguished figures in the style reminiscent of a free university named “Restoration of Ukraine,” It was a great honor for the Obnova to meet with the bishops of the Permanent Synod.
At the onset of the meeting, His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that today, the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC is the largest, comprising 56 bishops. Half of the UGCC lives and works outside of Ukraine. If we compare our Church with other Churches in Ukraine, there is no other Church that has such a global network in different countries of the world. The Patriarch recalled that the President of Ukraine had recently visited Argentina and was surprised that he had been met by a bishop of the UGCC in Buenos Aires.
Answering one of the questions, His Beatitude Sviatoslav reflected on what Ukraine’s victory would look like. He noted that the international community plans to rebuild and renew Ukraine after the victory. “Victory is not only the liberation of territories. Neither is it secure borders. It is a space of life that we will create. The real victory will come when young families have the courage to have children in Ukraine. Then we will have won. Because in contrast to the space of destruction and death, we, Ukrainians, must restore and renew the face of our land and create a space of life. Therefore, dear residents of Obnova have the courage to give birth to children in Ukraine! Cherish family values. Because we all say, we need a sign of hope that God is with us. In the Holy Scriptures, a sign of hope and a symbol that God is with you is the birth of a child,” said the Patriarch.
This is the reason, he noted, Christmas is so meaningful. In times of war, the sacrament of Christmas attains new horizons for us. “To have the courage to give life is the ultimate manifestation of the victory for which we are fighting,” the Primate emphasized.
Ultimately, the Patriarch blessed the wounded warrior-scout and addressed him: “The victory of Ukraine is in your hands.”
The UGCC Department for Information
