Video Message of the Head of the UGCC on the 218th Week of the Full-Scale War, April 19, 2026
Christ is risen!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
This Sunday marks the 218th week of this large-scale war—a war that has not ceased for an instant, not even during Easter. Although the aggressor announced a purported “Easter truce,” it was, unfortunately, cynically violated, particularly through crimes against humanity and violations of international law.
Indeed, on Easter, four Ukrainian prisoners of war were cynically shot near the village of Veterynarne in the Kharkiv region. This was followed by repeated attacks on medical facilities, evacuation convoys, and ambulances. Our civilian population, which had hoped for at least an Easter truce, was, unfortunately, targeted by these vicious attacks.
Throughout the week, in accordance with the Easter cycle, which is also observed by Orthodox Christians in Russia, we marked Holy Week. Yet it was once again marked by one of the most severe Russian strikes on Ukraine in recent times, on the night of April 15–16. About 20 people were killed and around 120 wounded. Our city of Kyiv suffered the greatest destruction and civilian losses. An 11-year-old boy named Maksym was killed in his own bed. People were also injured in Odesa, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and across Ukraine.
Against the backdrop of this escalating war, we nevertheless wish to express our special gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, who is visiting the African continent this week, for the prophetic voice of Christ’s Church, which he raised before the tyrants of this world, speaking clearly and powerfully: “No to war!”
Very often, when people hear about modern tyrants, they think especially of conflicts such as the war in Iran. Unfortunately, such a tyrant—whom the Pope apparently also had in mind—has been waging war in Ukraine for five years now. We thank Pope Leo for having the courage to speak with the power of God’s word to those who have fallen into the illusion of omnipotence and are dragging the world into the vortex of a blind war that brings death.
It was therefore especially important to hear this voice of the Church in the context of Easter, when we celebrate the victory of life over death and welcome among us our Risen Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Thanking the Holy Father for this evangelical courage, we firmly support him in this struggle against war in the modern world. And we want the whole world to hear: Ukraine stands. Ukraine fights. Ukraine prays!
During these Easter days, another tragic incident occurred in the occupied territories. In the city of Tokmak in occupied Zaporizhzhia, on Easter Sunday, the Greek Catholic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul was vandalized. With cynical deliberation, our church was seized on Easter; our faithful were expelled—people who, even without the opportunity to participate in services because they have no priest of their own, had cared for, cleaned, and visited this church. They were expelled, and the church was taken over by clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church and paramilitary units.
We express our sorrow over this incident. We assure our faithful in this long-suffering place of our prayerful closeness. We offer prayers to Christ for those who, even on the day of the Resurrection, even in the spiritual realm, do not hesitate to commit acts of aggression.
However, this week has also been a Bright one. Indeed, in all our parishes and churches, the apostolic greeting “Christ is risen!” resounded, and our people responded, “Indeed, He is risen!”
We know of Christ’s Resurrection not because someone told us about it, but because we have experienced the presence of the Risen Savior among us.
This Sunday, known as Thomas Sunday, we heard the Gospel account of how Christ came to His disciples through locked doors—those who were in bondage to fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Yet Christ passes through closed doors, reassures those who doubt, and fills with life all that is withering.
Today we ask the Risen Christ to tear down the walls of Russian prisons where our people are being tortured.
We ask Jesus to come into trenches and combat zones, to those who today may be held captive by the fear of death and are enduring the blind violence of war.
May this powerful exclamation, “Christ is risen!”, which resounds throughout Ukraine today, become our prayer for peace.
We pray: Lord, You are the Prince of Peace, who destroyed the gates of hell, raised humanity from the grave, and called it to life. Bless Ukraine with Your just, heavenly peace, which You breathed upon the apostles—and upon all of us—with the words, “Peace be with you!”
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.
Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!
