“Healed by the wounds of Jesus Christ, we will become new people”: Bishop Andriy Khimyak at the Easter Vigil at St. Alexander’s Church
On Saturday, April 8, the eve of Easter according to the Gregorian calendar, Bishop Andriy Khimyak, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy and Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, took part in the Easter Vigil at St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church in Kyiv. On behalf of the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, he congratulated Vitaliy Kryvytskiy, Ordinary of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr RCC in Ukraine, and all Roman Catholics of Ukraine on the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ.
“Today, we celebrate the victory of life over death, truth over lies, light over darkness. This great night gives us the joy that Christ is with us,” said Bishop Andriy at the end of the service.
He noted that this year’s Easter, we are experiencing people who suffer wounds due to Russian aggression.
“But let us remember,” the bishop emphasized, “that our wounds will be healed when we are together with Christ. Just like the wounds of Jesus Christ, who met Thomas and showed him his nail-pierced hands and wounded side, so will our wounds — they will remain after this war, but they will no longer bleed, they will no longer hurt us.”
“Having been healed by the wounds of Jesus Christ, we will become new people — people who are unburdened from sin, people who begin a new life,” he added.
Bishop Andriy called for rejoicing in Christ’s Resurrection and living as believers who have passed from death to life.
“May our lives be devoid of sin and full of God’s mercy! May our eyes see those in need, may our hands grant them a helping hand, and may our hearts love with the fullness of life! May this Easter joy be with each of you as long as possible! Christ is risen!” he wished, calling for sharing the Easter joy with everyone else.
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