Head of UGCC thanks the Pope for the global prayer for Ukraine
"Pope Francis did not just call but was a participant in this prayer. He personally said the prayer “Our Father” and asked everyone to read “Our Father” many times a day," the UGCC Primate said, starting the prayer on the rosary from the chapel of his residence in Kyiv.
The head of the Church called this event unprecedented in the spiritual life of the UGCC.
"We have embraced the children of our church all over the globe with prayer. We were in a prayer vigil, which began in Kyiv, continued in Melbourne (Australia), then moved to other continents, to warm Brazil, North America, the USA, Canada…
We prayed in the cathedrals of our church in Przemysl, Rome, Paris, and London.
We united in the prayer of St Mary Center of Zarvanitsa. Prayers were offered in the Cathedral Church of St. George and in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk Cathedral of the resurrection of Christ.
We prayed with Przemysl and Olsztyn in Poland.
We heard the prayer of our soldiers and volunteers in Kramatorsk, a city that has already experienced occupation and liberation. In a wooden temple that has traces of enemy shelling in its dome.
We heard the prayer of military personnel who inspired hope in our hearts.
We prayed together with the brothers of the Latin Church.
We received the blessing of Cardinal Nichols of London. The Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, the well-known Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, prayed with us.
We united in the prayer of St. Egidius here in Kyiv in the Church of St. Alexander. The prayer was led by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Visvaldas Kulbokas.
We, as the Mother Church, have embraced the entire Ukrainian people. And now we want to transfer this precious child of ours, beloved by God – our Church, our nation, into God's hands, as Mary did in her time with the righteous Joseph," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The head of the Church thanked representatives of other Churches and religious denominations who joined this prayer in different cities and churches around the world. The Jews of Ukraine also prayed together.
