On Friday, March 25, in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the Holy Father Francis consecrated Russia, Ukraine and all humanity to the Immaculate Heart of Mary during a penitential service. The bishops of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in Ukraine, led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, joined the Pope from the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia.
The bishops of the UGCC, who held an extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops that day, prayed simultaneously in the church in front of the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia in communion with the Holy Father and the whole world via live broadcast.
At the end of the penitential service, Pope Francis read a prayer of consecration of Russia, Ukraine and all mankind to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Act of Consecration on behalf of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was read simultaneously by His Beatitude Sviatoslav in communion with the Holy Father in Zarvanytsia.
Appealing to the faithful after the consecration, the Head of the UGCC emphasized the historicity of this moment: “Each of you will tell your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that it was a moment of victory; the moment, when we put the destiny of Ukraine into the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary".
His Beatitude Sviatoslav added that the war that Russia is waging today against Ukraine is a spiritual struggle between good and evil. And the consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the moment when we believe that good will win through the prayers of the Mother of God.
The Head of the UGCC explained what it means to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “Russia was entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary because the Mother of God asked for this act to be made, since from that land evil would spread throughout the world and destroy nations, bring suffering to people. We are praying for our enemies so that the Lord stops their murderous hand. And here, in Zarvanytsia, in communion with the Holy Father, we entrusted our Ukraine to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Her Immaculate Heart, because we know that today She, the Mother of God, is with Ukraine, with our suffering people."
“Today, our destiny is in safe mother’s hands”, added His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the Church thanked the bishops of the UGCC who gathered in Zarvanytsia for this historic event, adding that they were especially united with Most Rev. Vasyl Tuchapets, Bishop in Kharkiv, Most Rev. Stepan Menko, Bishop in Zaporizhia, and Most Rev. Mykhailo Bubniy, Bishop in Odessa. We were uniting, he said, with our bishops around the world, in our settlements in Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, and with Catholic bishops around the globe.
“Today we feel that the whole world is with us. Thank you all for participating in this historic event today… Our gratitude flows to the Holy Father Francis, with whom we experienced these unique moments”, the Primate said.
After the Act of Consecration, the Head of the UGCC together with the bishops of the Synod of Bishops conducted a traditional rosary prayer from Zarvanytsia.