The Brothers of the Taizé Community Begin a Solidarity Visit to Ukraine
Matthew and Francesco, brothers from the Taizé Community, arrived in Ukraine on a Christmas visit expressing support and solidarity. Their arrival is a sign of closeness to the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and young people in the midst of a full-scale war.
This was reported by Dyvensvit.
The visit began in Lviv. The delegation visited the Mars Field at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery, where, together with the family of a fallen soldier, they prayed for all fallen defenders of Ukraine. Then the brothers visited the Don Bosco Center, where they met with the Salesian community. During the meetings, they discussed the state of youth ministry and service to young people in wartime. The guests also prayed together at the Pokrova Family Home.
At the invitation of Metropolitan Teodor Martyniuk of Ternopil-Zboriv, the guests visited the Ternopil-Zboriv Archeparchy. Fr. Orest Pavliskiy, head of the Archieparchy Youth Commission and rector of the Archcathedral, also took part in the meeting. They discussed the role of the Church in wartime, spiritual guidance for the families of those who perished and suffered, and the presence of priests at the sites of tragedies as a sign of solidarity with the people.
In Ternopil, the brothers attended a rehearsal of the Taizé choir “Obnova,” which is preparing to participate in the Taizé Winter Meeting in Paris. This choir will lead a series of central prayer services together with young people from different countries in Europe and around the world.
Addressing the young people, Brother Matthew thanked them for their witness of faith, their prayers, and their willingness to come to Paris, emphasizing the special value of the presence of Ukrainian youth, who will bring to Europe a living witness of a people enduring war.
The brothers from Taizé also visited the Mykulynets cemetery, where they prayed for the fallen soldiers and victims of war, and visited the sites of the bombing of Ternopil on December 19 on Stusa and 15 Kvitnya streets. Seeing the aftermath of the destruction, Br. Matthew said, “War has come home.”
During the visit, the delegation also visited the Ternopil Regional Hospital, where wounded soldiers undergo treatment, as well as the Franciscan parish of St. Peter the Apostle. The brothers spoke with Fathers Damian Chamarnyk, O. F. M., and Moses Levko, O. F. M., and saw a traditional Christmas nativity scene, which this year featured an element from a Ternopil house destroyed by the war.
The UGCC Department for Information
