“Today, Ukrainian youth say to Christ: Hosanna! You are my Savior! You are the secret of my resilience!”: His Beatitude Sviatoslav on Palm Sunday
Those who partake of the source of the Resurrection are not scared of death. Therefore, whoever has the opportunity to draw from the source of life and Resurrection becomes a carrier, a participant in the victory that Jerusalem celebrates with palm branches today, which the Lord God, who is the source of any victory, grants to Ukraine through the heroic Ukrainian youth, stated the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, during his sermon to the faithful at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv on Palm Sunday.
“Today, the Church of Christ celebrates one of the greatest Christian holidays in the liturgical year, a holiday that we also call Palm Sunday, which is the door to the Lord’s Easter,” said the head of the UGCC.
Explaining its meaning, the preacher noted that the Gospel describes a single action of God, which seems to have occurred in two stages: the resurrection of Lazarus and the entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
“Who is this Christ that everyone keeps talking about?”, the bishop emphasizes.
“As if answering the question of who He is, people came out to meet Christ, carrying palm branches in their hands. Today Jerusalem welcomes not only the victor of death. When asked who He is, Christ Himself, raising Lazarus, answers: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies!’” the Head of the Church explained.
The Father and Head of the UGCC drew attention to the strange ceremony performed by Lazarus’ sister: she took the precious myrrh and poured it on his feet.
“What does this mean?” the preacher wonders.
“Jesus Christ is like a vessel of precious myrrh. This peace is the fullness of the grace of the Holy Spirit, the life force in Him. He goes to Jerusalem to pour it out on his people, to become the life and resurrection of those who accept him and believe in him.”
“He will truly come to make us partakers of The Body and Blood, partakers of His life and Resurrection. Then we will understand why we celebrate this holiday so joyfully today because we become partakers of the Resurrection into which our Lord, who is coming to Jerusalem, wants to introduce us,” said the head of the UGCC.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also emphasized that today’s feast of Palm Sunday is a celebration of our believing youth.
“Beloved girls and boys, I congratulate you today on your holiday! For today you are teachers of faith in the community of Christ’s Church. We pray for you, especially today. We know that youth is often called the spring of human life. When we observe that green branches are already blossoming, we all say that life is awakening and winning!” said the Head of the Church.
He emphasized that today, the Ukrainian youth have borne the brunt of the war. While blessing the willow branches, he asked the faithful to pray for Ukrainian youth.
The UGCC Department for Information
