UGCC Head in 127th Week of War: Russian Orthodox Church Treats Christian Doctrine Like Islamic State Treats Islamic Doctrine
Today, Russia is instrumentalizing the religious feelings of believers in many nations and countries. Now this threat is gaining ecumenical and international significance. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said this on the 127th week of Ukraine’s excruciating pain and immense grief—a full-scale war that has been ongoing since 2014, now reaching its most dramatic waves and moments.
The Primate stated that the enemy continues to relentlessly shell our peaceful towns and villages. The intensity of combat actions tends to escalate. The heaviest fighting is taking place in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.
“Our soldiers—both women and men—are bravely defending their homeland. Our volunteers, often with their last strength, are doing their utmost to save human lives. However, this week was also marked by a significant event—the 54th exchange of prisoners of war. 94 Ukrainian servicemen returned home,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
At the same time, he urges us to remember all those still in captivity. According to state statistics, we have about 7,000 prisoners of war and around 10,000 civilians held in Russian custody completely illegally. Additionally, 37,000 are missing. We can only imagine the anguish experienced by families who sometimes do not even know how to pray for their loved ones.
Another problem, according to the Primate, is scourging Ukraine these days—the abnormal heat has aggravated the energy crisis in our country… “But despite all the problems and difficulties, we are just amazed at the strength, courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
This week, a joyful historical event was celebrated by the entire Catholic Church of Ukraine, in particular for Ukrainian Greek Catholics — the ordination of the ruling bishop for the Mukachevo Eparchy of Transcarpathia.
Many guests came to Ukraine to celebrate the occasion, including members of the Congregation of the Incarnate Word. The guests came primarily from the Global South—Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. There were also many representatives from Africa, including the secretary of the Bishops’ Conference from Israel. Sisters from Hong Kong and Shanghai, China, also attended.
The presence of such a large number of guests from all over the world provided us with the opportunity to hold a unique meeting, which we called the Global South Summit. We know how difficult it is today for the truth about Ukraine to penetrate this part of the world. Russian propaganda is doing everything it can to make Ukraine’s struggle incomprehensible and, in the eyes of many nations, even meaningless.
“Today, Russia,” he said, “is instrumentalizing the religious feelings of believers in many nations and countries. The Russian Orthodox Church treats Christian doctrine akin to how the Islamic State treats the doctrine of the Islamic world. Now this threat is gaining ecumenical, international significance.”
The UGCC Department for Information
