Patriarch of the UGCC Sviatoslav called for prayers for the captive priests in Berdiansk, Father Ivan Levytsky and Fr. Bohdan Heleta. The Primate also thanked the entire clergy of the UGCC, who remained with their people after February 24, 2022.
This was reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.
The UGCC priests were arrested for praying for Berdiansk. It is known that Father Bohdan suffers from acute diabetes.
"Today, even through the means of mass media, I want to ask everyone who can help to release them from this captivity. We would be very grateful," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
According to the Head of the UGCC, the priests, by their example, today show one of the unknown sides of suffering during the 500th day of the war. We are always delighted when we manage to exchange prisoners of war and release our boys from Russian captivity, but there is no mechanism for the release or exchange of civilians.
"Let us remember those heroes who are still awaiting their release," urged His Beatitude Sviatoslav. "But as the Head of the Church, I am grateful to the Lord God for giving me such heroes of zealous priestly and pastoral ministry."
In addition, the Primate thanked the clergy of the UGCC and noted that where a priest remained, a center for saving people's lives was created, as all parishes, particularly in Central, Eastern, and Southern Ukraine, have become centers of social service.
"I am proud of our clergy because I have seen our priests in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and in all other parts of Ukraine - priests who did not hesitate for a moment whether they should stay there until the end with their people. All our pastors stayed with their people," said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.