Graduation at the Academy of Ground Forces Included Interdenominational Prayer

LVIV – On June 19, 2010, at the Academy of Ground Forces celebrations took place for 198 students who graduated from the military educational institution and were appointed lieutenants.

The celebrations began with the Divine Liturgy in the Michael the Archistratege Church, which is on the territory of the academy. Clergy representing different denominations participated in the celebratory events. This year the clergy included the head of the Department of Patriarchal Curia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) on Matters of Pastoral Care in the Armed Forces, Eparch of Sokal-Zhovkva Bishop Mikhail (Koltun); head of the Synodal Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) for Cooperating with the Armed Forces and Other Military Structures of Ukraine Archbishop of Halych UOC-MP Bishop Augustine (Markevych); deputy head of the Department of Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC on Matters of Pastoral Care in the Armed Forces Fr. Lubomyr Yavorskyj; and others.

As reports the Information Department of the UGCC, the joint blessing by the hierarchs of the traditional churches of Ukraine of the soldiers may be the best example of success of their activity in the modern Ukrainian army.

As part of the feast Bishop Augustine (UOC-MP) read a prayer of benediction for the graduating students and Bishop Mikhail (UGCC) blessed the young lieutenants.

The rest of the program took place on the square of the academy, where in addition to the administration of the institute, the graduates, and students, also participating in the events were representatives of the state authority.