Head of the UGCC in the 172 nd Week of the War: I Want the Entire World to Hear Once Again—Ukraine Stands! Ukraine Fights! Ukraine Prays!
“I encourage all Christians, especially the faithful of our Church, to live out their faith and not be ashamed to profess it,” said the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in his traditional address marking the 172nd week of the devastating, sacrilegious, and murderous war that the Russian aggressor continues to wage against the peaceful Ukrainian state.
The Primate believes that this week will again go down in history as a week of lies and deception on the part of the aggressor. Despite various international efforts to diplomatically resolve the conflict, the enemy has only intensified its attacks and offensives against Ukraine.
“Every day,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav, “rivers of blood are being shed on the front lines—a sea of tears, destruction, fire, and suffering. This is what Ukraine has experienced this week. Once again, I express my gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine during his general audience this week. We remind the world once more: if Russia stops attacking, the war will end. But if Ukraine stops defending itself, there will be no more Ukraine. In these cruel circumstances, I want the entire world to hear once again: Ukraine is alive! Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!”
The spiritual leader recalled that this Sunday, which we call the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical (Nicaea) Council, marks a significant spiritual, cultural, national, and ecclesiastical anniversary—the 1700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. This historic event will undoubtedly continue to draw the attention of theologians, historians, and scholars of the Greek-Roman era of Christianity.
According to him, this week brought a deep sense of the universality and catholicity of Christ’s Church. The Council gave us the Apostles’ Creed, which remains a shared declaration of faith not only for Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but also for many other believers who hold to the faith of the Nicene Fathers.
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Video-message of the Head of the UGCC on the 172nd Week of Full-Scale War, June 1, 2025
The Primate urged all Christians, especially the faithful of the UGCC, to share their faith openly, not to be ashamed of living it, and to lead at least one person to the Sacrament of Baptism this year. In doing so, he said, we will truly feel ourselves part of one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church—a missionary Church.
“St. John Paul II said, ‘A Church that is not missionary is not a Church.’ Let us bear witness to the Gospel of Christ together in our time!” concluded the Head of the Church.
The UGCC Department for Information
