Patriarch Sviatoslav thanked the Polish people, the episcopate, and the Polish state for providing asylum to a million refugees, and Pope Francis for his prayers. The Patriarch thanked for support the Catholic episcopates of Asia, Hong Kong, churches of India, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar, Eastern Catholic Churches of Europe: Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia. The first hierarch of the UGCC expressed special gratitude to the employees of Caritas, whose help is now more relevant than ever.
The military appeal of the Patriarch of the UGCC to the Ukrainian people from Kyiv was shared by the UGCC Information Department.
"I would like to heartily thank the Polish people, the Polish episcopate, and the Polish state. They have already taken more than a million refugees into their arms, into their homes, and are trying to do everything possible to provide the necessary assistance to these people.
May the Lord God repay you a hundredfold.
Foremost, the head of the UGCC expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for once again sharply and ambiguously condemning the war against Ukraine during the prayer "Angel of the Lord" yesterday. "He clearly said that this is not some kind of operation, but a war. This is a war primarily against civilians, the civilian population," the head of the UGCC said.
Today, on the twelfth day of the war, according to the UN, we already have one and a half million refugees from Ukraine who have left their homeland. His Beatitude Sviatoslav cordially thanked all those who support our people, our homeland, and our army.
He noted that countless letters of solidarity are being sent to him. In particular, the head of the UGCC expresses gratitude to the Catholic episcopates of Asia, in particular Hong Kong, and the Churches of India, in particular Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar. Heartfelt thanks to the Eastern Catholic Churches of Europe: Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia – all those who especially feel the pain of our Church and our people.
"Ukraine stands, Ukraine fights," the head of the Church notes.
With great regret, the bishop noted that all the talk about green corridors, about the possibility of evacuating people from cities that suffer the most from encirclement and bombing, does not come true.
"Today we ask the world community to close the sky over Ukraine because most of all Russian cruise missiles are killing the population on our lands," the first hierarch of the UGCC once again urged.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav individually thanked Caritas of Ukraine, which is doing everything possible to deliver basic necessities to where it is the most difficult today.