“No one died of hunger, cold, or other humanitarian consequences during 500 days of war in Ukraine” — The Head of the UGCC
Volunteers not only support the Ukrainian army, they have done everything to ensure that no one in Ukraine dies of hunger, cold, or other humanitarian consequences during the 500 days.
This was stated by the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, during a press conference in Lutsk.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked all the volunteers — in Ukraine and abroad — for hindering the humanitarian crisis in our country from turning into a humanitarian catastrophe during the full-scale war. “The national solidarity that went far beyond Ukraine and the global solidarity that sided with the victims of this war helped us to survive these 500 days,” said the Head of the UGCC and thanked charitable organizations worldwide, including Catholic ones, for their help.
“When our state is facing the most difficult times, volunteers step up and put their shoulder where something is faltering. I remember it was like that in 2014, during the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv, and it is still the same today,” he added.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav remembered the Ukrainian army with special gratitude on this day, emphasizing that the Ukrainian army is a national army of heroes: “Today, on the front line, there are not only professional soldiers who have devoted their lives and careers to military affairs but also our brothers, husbands, children, yesterday’s musicians, teachers, entrepreneurs, IT specialists, those who baked bread and worked on the land — all of them are called upon to take up arms and become a national resistance to this occupier.”
The Head of the UGCC also thanked the Ukrainian youth because it is on their shoulders that a massive burden of war has fallen today. He reminded them of World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held in August in Lisbon. According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, young people from Ukraine are preparing to participate in WYD and speak about Ukraine, the dream, and a free homeland with young people worldwide.
After the press conference, His Beatitude Sviatoslav visited the cemetery in Lutsk, where he prayed and honored the memory of the fallen Ukrainian heroes.
“Indeed, your heart sinks when you look at the faces of our fallen heroes, and those young men were 18, 19, 20 years old,” said the Head of the UGCC, “They would have lived on, but they gave their lives for Ukraine to live. And today, we must remember them.”
