In his video message, the hierarch of the UOC USA, Archbishop Daniel (Zelinsky), expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people suffering from Russian military aggression.
Source: Spiritual Front of Ukraine
"We have a common responsibility with you for how we deal with our people. Here in the United States, it is quite difficult for us to bear those waves of military aggression in Ukraine. We are far away from our friends, relatives, brothers and sisters. My parents live in the Ternopil region, in Buchach, and every time I communicate with my mother or family, they talk about how sometimes they notice rockets that fly over the city to some other point in Ukraine. We are taking what is happening in Ukraine quite hard here because we are quite far away from all of you. We would like to be a part of all the experiences you are going through," the hierarch said in a video message on the occasion of the presentation of the Gospel Aprokos media on January 27.
He is sure that it is not easy for Ukrainians to experience the moments of the war, but "we are from here, from the United States, United with all of you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ."
"That is why during this time, almost one year of Russia's military aggression against the people of Ukraine, we sponsor various projects in Ukraine," Archbishop Daniel continued. Whether through Stavropegia, through cooperation with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, or with other church and secular structures, we are trying to purchase ambulances and logistics vehicles for the Armed Forces and military medical institutions and, most importantly, to touch with the word of God's love, grace, to those people who are experiencing the consequences of this terrible war, a war that always destroys, a war that cannot be justified, a war that God Himself condemns because we should never destroy each other's lives as Christians, but rather care for them, cherish them."
"And here in the United States, we pray for each of you and look forward to being able, literally in a fairly short time, to meet right there, in Kyiv, in St. Andrew's Church, to concelebrate, pray and bless our Ukrainian people. Now I wish you all God's blessing. We pray for you and pray your prayers for us," His Eminence Daniel concluded.