Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew wrote a foreword "Twelve Months of a Terrible War" to the book "Message of Peace" ("Orędzia pokoju") by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav in Polish.
This was reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.
The book was published by the Gaudium Publishing House in Lublin.
"You are now holding in your hands an honest, sincere, caring conversation of His Beatitude Archbishop Sviatoslav with his people. You are looking at a daily conversation between a father and his children in the tragic times of the great war the Russian Federation unleashed in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. This is an 800-page chronicle of twelve months of a terrible war from the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which he recorded during the years 2022 and 2023," the foreword reads.
Quoting His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Ecumenical Patriarch, emphasized that Ukraine has survived and that it is fighting and praying. "All religious communities of Ukraine, in particular the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, stand with their people," His Holiness wrote, "Despite the constant shelling and destruction of churches, a sincere prayer to God for a just peace and victory is heard in Ukraine. Churches have become centers of missionary activity: hearts of mercy, points of invincibility and, often, bomb shelters. Every day, the clergy help soldiers and people who have lost their families and homes with prayer and care."
According to Patriarch Bartholomew, the publication of the Polish translation of His Beatitude Sviatoslav's book will help spread the truth about the terrible war in Ukraine: "The appearance of this first version is important because Poland was the first country to shelter millions of Ukrainians, providing them with homes, social protection and working conditions. We hope that in the near future, this chronicle of justice, care and the evangelical spirit will be translated into other languages to inform the world and promote greater support for Ukraine."
"Once again, we condemn this brutal war and pray tirelessly to Our Merciful Savior for the sons and daughters of the heroic Ukrainian people. May a just and eternal peace come to Ukraine," the Ecumenical Patriarch wished.