Bishop of UGCC Prays for Victims of War in Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv
In the Patriarchal Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh) with the participation of the clergy and laity of the Kyivan Archeparchy of UGCC served a liturgy and memorial prayer service for the repose of the victims of the last war.
Bishop Bohdan called everyone to remember all without distinguishing between the victors and losers as suffering is the same for everyone: “A person thrown down on the ground suffers, dies and needs remembrance in prayer for the forgiveness and mercy of God, regardless of what side of the front he is on” said the hierarch.
The bishop called to remember everyone who fell at the fronts and also those who struggled for independence of our land. “We do not want to divide the heroes into the right and wrong ones. We want to show today our gratitude and our respect for everyone who gave up the dearest thing, their life for our freedom.” He mentioned the civilian victims and prayed separately for the people who were forced to leave their native land because of the forced re-settlement or penal servitude.
The bishop noted that the scholars have not yet said the last word about this tragic and complicated page in the modern history. The studies and searches in secret archives are still conducted for documents which are to reveal the whole truth of the circumstances and causes of the war, of those who provoked it, of the behaviour of the victors and the fate of the losers. “It is needed for our memory to be full, objective and true. In order for us to learn the truth and reconcile with the past. For only the truth sets one free, according to our Lord,” said the hierarch.
In the end of the sermon, the Secretary of the Synod invited the participants to thank God for the liberation of our people both from the Nazi yoke and the Communist yoke, the two tyrannies that with equal cruelty fought against God and human dignity. So reported the Information Department of UGCC.
