East Ukraine: People are praying and weeping – because they feel utterly helpless
Mariupol, East Ukraine, late September 2014. Officially, there is a truce between the pro-Russian separatists, based around Donetsk and Lugansk, and the Ukrainian army. That at least was the agreement between the governments in Kiev and Moscow, as a result of international mediation. But in Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, the real picture is very different. "We are woken at night by explosions, and the fighting is continuing, despite the truce. The people here feel utterly helpless; they are coming into the churches, praying and weeping." So says Father Leonard, reporting by telephone to representatives of the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). "Please write about this", adds Paulist Father Leonard, who intends to stay on in the embattled city of Mariupol along with his fellow Paulist, Father Pavel. "Perhaps people will believe a priest who has seen and witnessed for himself just what is really going on here."
Mariupol, an industrial city and port, situated less than 50 kms from the Russian border, is home to around half a million people. Before the civil war, practically everything produced here was exported to Russia. Now the gates of the steelworks and factories are closed, and people no longer have any work. Instead there is fighting. It is thought that the pro-Russian separatists want to capture the city in order to create a corridor through to the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia just a few months ago.
Father Leonard tells us, "We are pastors, and we are concerned for the people here, both civilians and soldiers. We hear confessions, celebrate Holy Mass, hand out food, clothing and medicines." In fact ACN has already sent $14,000 to the diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhya, to cover the most urgent necessities. Auxiliary Bishop Jan Sobilo, who at the same time has responsibility within the diocese for the region around Mariupol, has also telephoned ACN to confirm this: "With this money we are able to help for the most urgent needs; we are buying clothing and medicines, among other things, and are helping to provide medical care for the people."
Father Pavel is also concerned for the situation of the Ukrainian soldiers, who are forced to live in very difficult circumstances. "They are badly equipped and living in trenches", he adds." They come to confession, seeking spiritual support, and also ask us to make contact with their family members and to send pictures of them to their mothers and wives."
Their living conditions are hard, as Father Pavel confirms, and the fighting is conducted with the utmost ferocity. For example, a funeral will soon take place for 55 young soldiers whose bodies can no longer be identified with certainty, since they were so badly mutilated. The funeral service will be attended by Greek-Catholic priests, Orthodox priests of the Kiev patriarchate and Protestant pastors. Father Leonard adds, "The Christians are praying for peace. Around a thousand people took part in an ecumenical march for peace in Mariupol. Everybody wants to see an end to the fighting."
The people in Mariupol are troubled and frightened, Father Leonard adds. They avoid certain areas of the city, for fear of snipers. Similarly, the religious in their white habits have to be careful where they go if they do not want to become targets. They only use their cars for distributing aid parcels, because they are fearful that they might otherwise be confiscated. At the same time only limited supplies are getting through to the city. Although winter is fast approaching, they are facing the prospect of rationing of electricity and gas, since Russia has cut off the gas supplies.
Reinhard Backes
