On Tuesday, January 24, in the village of Liptsy in the Kharkiv region, priest of the UGCC Exarchate of Kharkiv Vitaliy Zubak and sister-nun of the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph The Betrothed, Daria Panast, came under enemy fire from the Russians. Now they are in the hospital.
Source: "Dumka"
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head of the UGCC, said this in his daily video address on the 336th day of the full-scale war.
"When bringing aid to our newly liberated towns and villages, particularly the village of Lyptsi, the humanitarian mission of Caritas of the Exarchate of Kharkiv came under enemy artillery fire. The Russians deliberately fired at the humanitarian mission. Our Father Vitaly Zubak and Sister-nun Daria have been wounded and are in the hospital," the Primate said and urged everyone to pray for their health, for their salvation.
"At the cost of their own lives, our priests, monks and nuns, volunteers are trying to save those who are now under enemy fire every day, to help those who were victims of this war, to whom the Russian occupier broke their lives," the head of the UGCC added.
Referring to the circumstances of the shelling, Father Vitaliy himself said in a commentary to Suspilne that he was going to the community of Lyptry to make lists for humanitarian aid from the Caritas organization. "I was accompanied by nun Daria and two social workers who were doing the recording job. And when we passed the last checkpoint in front of Lyptsy, the military showed us to pass, we left, and then an explosion occurred, and the car stopped," the priest said.
Sister Daria, who was traveling to Lyptsy for the first time, received injuries to her arm, leg and abdomen. "The doctors say I will recover, and the internal organs are not damaged. I think I'll get back to my job," the nun hopes.
According to doctors, there is no threat to the lives of both wounded: they will stay in the hospital for several weeks.
In a comment to the UGCC Information Department, Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv, who on Wednesday, January 25, visited the wounded priest and nun in the hospital, drew attention to the fact that even such a mission of the Church as helping people affected by the war is not simple and safe.
"We must pay tribute to our employees of Caritas, who, overcoming fear, go to those in need. Everyone experiences fear of danger. But the most important goal is to help people who do not have something to eat, do not have a place to live, especially at the present time, when it is most difficult, to survive this winter," the Bishop said.