Video-message of the Head of the UGCC on the 178th Week of Full-Scale War, July 13, 2025
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
We have now endured the 178th week of this devastating war. At this point, we are no longer counting days and weeks—we are counting years of the brutal war Russia launched against Ukraine back in 2014.
This past week will likely go down in history as one of unprecedented and unimaginable escalation.
In particular, our cities—Kyiv and Lutsk—were ravaged by massive strikes, some of the most intense in all the years of this war. On the night of June 9, Russia launched a record number of air strikes in a single night: more than 740 drones, missiles, and other types of weapons were unleashed on civilians in the dead of night.
Our beloved Kyiv suffered. Even the Apostolic Nunciature in Kyiv was damaged—the roof of the utility building was seriously hit.
By the end of the month, June had become the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine in over three years of full-scale invasion. Around 350 people were killed, and thousands of civilians were wounded.
It is painfully clear: the enemy is not fighting the Ukrainian army—they are waging war against the Ukrainian people. Their aim is to terrorize us with night-time attacks, to drive people from their homes, and to provoke a new wave of refugees, emigrants, and internally displaced persons.
They want to paralyze Ukraine’s will—and its ability—to defend itself.
But the more the enemy tries to frighten us, the more the world stands with us.
The more death stares Ukrainians in the face, the more God’s light shines upon us in the darkness of night. And once again, we say to the world, loud and clear: Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!
This week was also a week of magnificent divine light. It’s amazing that here, near Rome in the town of Subiaco, there is an ancient cave of St. Benedict—the birthplace of Western monasticism. Inside that cave, a medieval Latin inscription reads: “Benedict, why do you seek light in the darkness of the cave? But in the dark night, the stars shine brightest.”
Amidst the darkness the enemy seeks to spread in Ukraine, many stars have shone brightly in our sky.
First of all, the Synod of our bishops concluded its work here in the Eternal City of Rome. This Synod was truly special and historic: we felt the power of God pulsing through the very veins of our Church. We sensed how our Church is becoming an active participant in international relations, how it is growing more refined and effective—not only as the voice of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, but also as a healer of the wounds caused by this war.
The central theme of this Synod, as you know, was the pastoral care for the family.
Meeting in Rome with nearly 50 bishops from across our Church enabled us to hold many significant meetings. We met with Italian government leaders—including Deputy Prime Minister Mantovani, ministers from the Italian Cabinet, and the ministers of health, culture, environment and energy, foreign affairs—as well as with the head of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital.
These meetings confirmed that the Italian government sees the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as a true partner in Ukraine’s recovery.
The international, diplomatic, and state-level relationships our Church has forged here in Italy are unique and historic. They offer real opportunities to serve our people. The very fact that an international summit was held in Rome these days—with an unprecedented number of statesmen and international institutions coming together to discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine in the context of the Year of Hope—is a powerful sign. It shows we not only hope to preserve our state and independence, but we are actively preparing concrete mechanisms for rebuilding.
Yet the Church is concerned not only with rebuilding buildings, homes, and infrastructure. Above all, the Church is called to restore people—to heal the whole person and renew the ability of Ukrainians to live, act, and shape their future.
This Sunday, we raise our hearts in gratitude—to God and to all the friends of Ukraine. Here in Rome, perhaps inspired by the spiritual vision of St. Benedict, patron saint of Europe, we witnessed how the radiant light of God’s hope shines over Ukraine even in the dark night of war.
And today, full of hope, we pray:
Lord, bless our Church, our people, our bishops, priests, and all who are dedicated to family ministry. Bless our families—already wounded—but from whom everything begins: life, the passing on of faith, the rebuilding of Ukraine, and the shaping of our future. Bless the family, which is truly the hope of Ukraine.
God, stop the murderous hand of those who destroy. The world reflects on how to build, yet there are those who, driven by a devilish spirit, continue to destroy. But we believe the destruction of Ukraine can be stopped. We pray: God, bless our homeland with Your just and heavenly peace.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and forever, and for the ages of ages. Amen.
