“We believe in the victory of Ukraine because we have faith in the Resurrected Christ” — Head of the UGCC on Easter
To the face of the aggressor who is killing us today, who means to intimidate us with various psychological special operations, we say: Christ is risen! Your fear can never enslave my heart again. We believe in the victory of Ukraine because we have faith in the Resurrected Christ!
Through the victory of Ukraine, Christ will free Europe and the world from the fear of death that modern terrorists seek to sow throughout the world. This was stated by the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, on the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ during the Easter Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, which the Head of the UGCC celebrated after the Service at the Grave and Easter Matins.
The Head of the Church was concelebrated with: Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyy of the Diocese of Kyiv and Zhytomyr of the Roman Catholic Church, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy Rev. Yosyf Milan, Curial Bishop of the Kyiv-Halych Major Archbishop, Rev. Stepan Sus, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy, Rev. Andriy Khimyak and the clergy of the Cathedral.
In his sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav assured us that the Resurrection of Christ frees us from our personal weaknesses, fears and insecurities. Christ’s Resurrection brings new purpose to our lives. He pointed to a special instrument of the devil’s enslavement of humanity — the shackles of fear of death — and emphasized that the all-conquering shout “Christ is risen!” frees people from this fear.
“The power of the resurrected Christ,” says the preacher, “is granted to each of us today. To greet someone with the salutation ‘Christ is risen!’ means to free them from fear, open their life horizons and call them to the life of a free person.”
Additionally, the Father and Head of the UGCC noted that fear persists in Ukraine today.
“Today, on this Paschal feast, as one people of God, let us say no to our fears: Christ is risen! My fear is no longer a shackle with which the devil wants to enslave me to the fear of death. Today, Ukraine, which believes and celebrates Easter, which has lived the Easter culture since ancient times, is an instrument of good news for Europe and the world. Because the modern war exporter is once again intimidating Europe and the world with its alleged power,” the Head of the Church urged.
The Patriarch congratulated the defenders on the Easter holiday and sent his Easter fatherly word of support to those in captivity and those who are grieving due to various losses and wounds.
“Today, from our Patriarchal Cathedral, the heart of our Church, we say to our defenders: Christ is risen! We believe in you! We believe in the victory of Ukraine because it will be the triumph of Christ over the sowers of fear and death in the third millennium,” the Patriarch emphasized.
“Today, I want to address the words ‘Christ is risen!’ to our brothers and sisters in the occupied territories… Do not be afraid of the occupiers, for Christ is risen! We especially hold in our hearts all those suffering in Russian captivity and prisons,” he added.
“We must realize that this is a holiday from which we draw strength to win. We draw strength to heal our wounds and nurture our optimism. The one in whom Christ has risen from the dead is infused with optimism for life,” the Head of the UGCC is convinced.
“I wish you all a joyful Easter holiday. May you find joy, prosperity, and the fulfillment of all your dreams and prayers. Welcome the Resurrected Savior into your hearts, your families and homes. I wish you all a delicious Easter breakfast, and a delicious blessed Easter egg. Let the triumphant cry of the Resurrection of Christ resound throughout Ukraine and the world, for Christ is risen!” added the spiritual leader of Ukrainians.
The Divine Liturgy was followed by the blessing of paska and Easter dishes.
The UGCC Department for Information
