“We Pray to the Lord for Mercy on Those Who Innocently Perished Here”: Babyn Yar Victims Honored in Kyiv
On September 29, 2024, a communal interfaith prayer of remembrance was held at the National Historical and Memorial Reserve in Kyiv, marking the 83 rd anniversary of the mass executions carried out by the Nazis at Babyn Yar. With the blessing of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv, and Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy, attended the event.
The annual event is traditionally organized by the Ukrainian World Congress and the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, in cooperation with the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience and the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve.
Representatives from various Churches, Jewish spiritual leaders, government officials, and members of the public participated in the prayerful commemoration, aimed at preserving the memory of the victims of the mass shootings committed by the Nazis at Babyn Yar during the occupation of Kyiv in World War II. Each representative of the churches and religious organizations in Ukraine offered a prayer.
“God commanded humanity, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ He gave this command for a reason—to prevent such crimes,” said Bishop Vasyl. “But a person who does not heed God’s word, who ignores God’s law, is capable of such crimes and atrocities, justifying them with various ideologies.”
“And this occurred not only during the Second World War but is happening again now, during the war raging in Ukraine. Therefore, today, we commemorate those victims,” the bishop added, before praying: “We turn to the Lord and ask for His grace and mercy for those who innocently perished here, at this site.”
Bishop Vasyl concluded his remarks by reciting Psalm 3: “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.”
The commemoration of the victims of Babyn Yar concluded with a minute of silence, followed by the placing of candles and symbolic stones on the Menorah, in accordance with Jewish tradition.
The UGCC Department for Information
Photo by Suspilne
