Several Denominations Pray for Navy in Sevastopol
On the eve of Navy Day in Ukraine, representatives of the Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Lutheran Churches and a Muslim community conducted a joint prayer for the naval forces.
On 28 July, the leaders of the Ukrainian Navy and reserve officers who dedicated many years to the development of the Naval Forces of Ukraine gathered in front of the monument to Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi. The event was also attended by the ex-Minister of Defense Admiral Mykhailo Yezhel.
The participants laid flowers at the monument to the famous leader of the Ukrainian Navy and took part in the joint prayer. Senior Priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Sevastopol Fr. Mykola Kvych reported to RISU that “it is a good tradition to begin a celebration with a prayer in order for the Ukrainian navy to be blessed by God indeed.” And the fact that our sailors were prayed for by various denominations, “the interdenominational prayer actually shows that we pray to one and only God and ask for a blessing for our Ukrainian nation and our Ukrainian Army.”
The Lutheran pastor Viktor Pashchenko noted that he participated in the joint prayer on the invitation of the command of the Ukrainian Navy. “We have come to greet the sailors and the Commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Navy Vice-Admiral Yurii Ilyin on the occasion of his appointment to the position. We are confident that our children and our warriors will properly protect our border and us.”
