From the Head of the UGCC on the 225th day of the war: In the Russian torture chamber in the Kharkiv region, prisoners scratched icons
For us Christians of the Eastern rite, icons are the mystery of the presence of eternity in the pre-temporal, the place, the moment of meeting a person with God. These icons are a deep call, a symbol that tells us: “He who prays, endures. He who prays will stand up.” And next to them are the badges with which the prisoners counted the days of their imprisonment. The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, said in his daily address on the 225th day of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav reflected on the second rule of personal resilience in war conditions — on prayer, without which it is impossible to persevere, particularly in the fight against evil. “Prayer for us Christians is the moment when we hold the hand of our God when the Lord takes me, my life, in his hands and leads him. He is the source of renewal of our strength. Therefore, prayer during captivity, suffering, personal grief, and war is a source of renewal, restoration of our power, and the secret of our resilience.”
“It is how the prophet Isaiah says it: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:30–31). Therefore, to stand, it is necessary not only to know the truth and to be sure that we are doing the right thing but also to allow that truth to touch us. That truth, way, and life is not something, but someone — our Lord Jesus Christ, who always stands by. He who trusts in Him, who leans on Him, will not be shaken.
The Patriarch noted that you could pray in different ways. “It is essential to find your way, which will bring you closer to God and allow you to taste God’s word. That is why reading the Holy Scriptures is essential; have it with us even when we have lost everything. The Apostle Paul calls us to constant prayer. We must enter the world every day with an open heart, able to listen and hear God, and thus share the heard word of God with others.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked everyone who has been tirelessly praying in homes, churches, and monasteries for 225 days. To all pastors who keep churches open and vigil day and night in prayer with God’s people for the victory of Ukraine.
The UGCC Department for Information
