Video Message of the Head of the UGCC on the 185th Week of the Full-Scale War, August 31, 2025
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
We continue to count the days and nights, the weeks and months, of this full-scale war. This Sunday marks the 185th week of this horror— a crime against God and against humanity. This week will probably be remembered by all of us for several events that may be contrasting with each other. We began this week by celebrating our homeland’s Independence Day. Then, on Monday, a prayer breakfast was held at the Mystetskyi Arsenal, hosted by the President of Ukraine. More than two thousand people came from all over the world, including representatives of various churches, religious communities, and people of good will who truly wanted to express their support for Ukraine through their presence.
We will probably remember this breakfast for its profound prayer for an end to the war.
Religious leaders—Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike—asked: ‘God, why? Why this war? Are the people of Ukraine more sinful than others?’ And the answer was clear: no. Yet it seems that God is using this pain to open Ukraine’s heart, so that the whole world may see and know it. A heart that, even amid the horrors of war, sees God present among us.
Today, we want to thank all those who responded to our invitation and were present, as well as all those who pray daily for Ukraine and our people in their countries, churches, synagogues, and mosques.
Another tragedy occurred in Ukraine this week. On the night of August 28, a massive attack targeted Ukraine, with Kyiv at its center. More than 600 air weapons were launched across the country, including 31 missiles of various types.
At least 25 people have been killed, including four children—the youngest just two years old. And so cynically, Russia announced its success in Ukraine, while declaring its openness to talks and negotiations. This cynicism is especially painful to all those who are truly hurt and affected by this war.
We see dozens of opportunities for diplomacy wasted. As our President has noted, all red lines and deadlines have been violated and disregarded for negotiations, talks, and the search for steps to end this war. We ask that the pain of Ukraine—the pain of our children, the cry of innocent blood rising from Kyiv to the heavens—be heard by the international community. We ask for a resolute condemnation of these war crimes. With this appeal, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations once again appeals to the conscience of all people of good will throughout the world. But despite all this, we want everyone to know that Ukraine stands, Ukraine fights, Ukraine prays.
This Sunday in Ukraine, we are in a special day of prayer for our schoolchildren, students, teachers, and professors. Today, in all our churches, we blessed our children and our youth for the new academic year.
The school year in wartime is a struggle, a battle for the right of children and young people to education.
Organizing the educational process in wartime is truly courageous. Today, we are grateful to all those who fight every day for the right of our children and youth to study. At the beginning of this full-scale war, 406 educational institutions, schools, universities, vocational schools, and daycare facilities were completely destroyed. Another 2,600 have been damaged.
But despite everything, children and young people in Ukraine will continue to learn. We admire the heroism and ingenuity of the mayor of Kharkiv. Seven underground schools will open this academic year. Some metro stations will also be equipped so that children can study, as in most frontline towns and villages, schooling continues online.
We already have entire generations of schoolchildren who have never studied in a classroom with their peers—all their education, starting from first grade, has been provided remotely.
Today, we express our gratitude to parents who assist their children in overcoming these challenges. We want our educators to feel surrounded by attention, prayers, and support from the Church.
According to official data, at least 250,000 Ukrainian children today cannot read or write. Education has become a humanitarian challenge in Ukraine today. We hope that the wider educational community will support the heroic teachers in Ukraine and that we will be able to win this battle in this terrible war.
Also this Sunday and tomorrow, September 1, all Churches of the Byzantine tradition will celebrate the beginning of the Indiction—the beginning of the New Church Year. Specifically, in our tradition, on September 1, in unity with the initiative of the Ecumenical Patriarch, we celebrate the Day of God the Creator.
On this day, we contemplate the mystery of God’s plan for the history of mankind and the world. We thank our Lord for creation and acknowledge our responsibility to protect the environment, ensuring that human greed and exploitation do not destroy what God has given us. We witness how this war is destroying God’s creation before our very eyes.
Everything that lives—rather than praising the Lord—is being destroyed today by the Russian aggressor. But we feel that the history of Ukraine and the world is in God’s hands. Our Creator God not only created the world, but cares for it, watches over it, and leads it to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
Today we implore You, Lord, bless Ukraine, reveal Your plan of salvation for our people, our country, Your plan of salvation for the world. Human beings in their sinfulness wreak destruction, start wars, but peace comes from You, O Lord, for peace is the space of life. God, bless our Ukraine—our army, our sons and daughters on the front lines, and all who live in frontline cities and villages—with Your righteous heavenly peace. The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and forever, and for the ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
