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Lack of knowledge of history of Ukrainian Holodomor should be recuperated - President of the Episcopal Conference of Italy

19.11.2018, 16:52
The Ukrainian community in Italy marked the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, presided over the commemorative events in the Cathedral of Naples.

The Ukrainian community in Italy marked the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, presided over the commemorative events in the Cathedral of Naples.

On this occasion, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, President of the Bishops' Conference of Italy, wrote a letter to the Ukrainian community and the prayers for the victims of the Holodomor were lifted in the churches of Italy.

“I am joining in prayer the entire Ukrainian community in Italy, which today gathered in the Cathedral of Naples at the Divine Liturgy led by the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Patriarch Sviatoslav in co-operation with Ukrainian and Italian priests to mark the 85th anniversary of the genocide of Ukrainians - the Holodomor,” wrote in his address the head of the Italian Church. The opportunity to pray in the main church of the Archdiocese of Naples “is a manifestation of fraternal hospitality and genuine solidarity” of the Italian people with “the Ukrainian community that mourns its neighbors.”

In his letter, Cardinal Bassetti emphasized that “remembrance is one way to stand beside: I know, I understand your suffering, therefore I pray with you and for you. This is the leitmotif that unites us with the Jews, the Armenians, and the people of the Rohingya.”

In his view, the memory of the Holodomor is necessary in order to prevent such tragedies in the future:

“Remembering is not only a look back, but also the transfer of previous experiences to future generations in order not to lose memory of the horrors of the past. It is necessary to recuperate the “ignorance of history” and the events of the past should become a science for all peoples who, starting with the testimony of those who bear the scars of the atrocities experienced, will be able to recognize the gift of free confession of their faith. This is relevant even in our time when Christians still experience persecution and martyrdom.”