"Invasion of Ukraine can lead to a global catastrophe," - Head of the UGCC
Patriarch Sviatoslav stressed that all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their national, religious and ethnic identity, want the conflict not to escalate into a more serious military confrontation: "we want to declare this with one voice; Please put down your weapons!"
"The Ukrainian people are very grateful to the Holy Father for his attention to us at this moment of great pain and the great fear that we are experiencing in Ukraine. This fear is caused by the large-scale concentration of Russian weapons and troops along the borders of our country. We are talking about the largest military concentration since 2014 when the war began in eastern Ukraine. Sources say that more than 100,000 troops equipped with modern weapons are being deployed, so we are afraid of an invasion. This possibility of invasion can really turn into a catastrophe not only for Ukraine but for the whole world. Therefore, just as this fear is growing, we have heard a voice of solidarity, a voice that has supported us in making our pain reach the ears of the whole world, the entire international community. We can say that Pope Francis is the only pastor of this level who stands by us at such a delicate and painful moment. This is a call for peace, against war. This is the prayer and desire of the Ukrainian people at this time," the first hierarch emphasized.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav insists: "it is a sin, a real calamity, to incite and plan a war, especially during Easter! We want the Easter singing to block out the roar of weapons so that only bells, not cannons, can be heard in Ukraine. We want the blood to stop pouring on our sorrowful land!"
The head of the UGCC also said that the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches, which unites all orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches, as well as Jews and Muslims, appealed for peace, because all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their affiliation or national, religious, ethnic identity, all express the wish that this conflict does not develop into a more serious military confrontation.
"War can never be a legitimate tool for achieving any goal-political, geopolitical, National, Economic, etc. This is our call, our prayer. And this is also how the Council of Churches builds a mentality of peace. Now we see that this interfaith peace that we managed to achieve in Ukraine is our highest religious value. We want to say this with one voice: we ask you to put down your weapons... It is a sin, a real disaster, to incite, plan a war in Easter time! We want the Easter singing to block out the roar of weapons so that only bells, not cannons, can be heard in Ukraine. We want the blood to stop pouring on our sorrowful land!" the head of the UGCC summed up.
