About half a million UGCC believers from all over the world took part in the online prayer marathon for peace in Ukraine on Live TV. The prayer vigil, which began on January 26 at 9:00, lasted until 21:00.
This is reported by the UGCC Information Department.
After Pope Francis proclaimed the day of prayer for peace, Patriarch Sviatoslav of the UGCC called on the faithful to join this prayer campaign.
"Global prayer is a moment of special spiritual care that Pope Francis, the successor of the Apostle Peter of our time, calls us to today. I call on all children of our church to join the prayerful spiritual guard. Wherever you are: at home or in transport, on the way to work or at work, at school or university – I ask you to pray for peace in Ukraine. Pray personally, and also join the prayer of the church community in your parishes, Cathedral churches, monasteries," the first hierarch said.
The 12-hour online prayer marathon of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on Live TV channels on Facebook and YouTube with live broadcasts of services from all over the world was held for the first time. At least 10,000 people prayed for peace in Ukraine every moment of the day, and 35,000 worshippers gathered live in the traditional rosary prayer held by His Beatitude Sviatoslav from his residence in Kyiv at 20:00.
The day of prayer for peace in Ukraine began with the Episcopal Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv and a papal audience in the Vatican, during which Pope Francis personally prayed for our state.
The services were broadcast live from UGCC churches in Ukraine – from Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Mari spiritual center "Zarvanytsia", and in the world – from Melbourne, Paris, Rome, London, Przemysl, Philadelphia and Winnipeg. A prayer to the military and chaplains from the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Kramatorsk and a prayer rite to the Most Holy Theotokos from the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Drohobych were also broadcast.
The prayer vigil was attended by clergy and laity, as well as students and teachers of Catholic universities, academies and seminaries.
In their appeals, Ukraine was supported by Catholic bishops from all over Europe in general and Italy, Poland and Ukraine in particular, as well as America, in particular the United States, Canada and Brazil.
Prayers with the participation of Roman Catholic bishops were held in churches in Kyiv and London. In Kyiv, in the Church of St. Alexander, the prayer for peace was led by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas.