The Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church called on everyone to bow their heads in tribute to the heroic efforts of the Chornobyl disaster responders, who stopped the spread of deadly radiation.
This is stated in his address on this tragic anniversary.
"They became the living embodiment of the words of Christ: 'Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13). These people went into the fire and mitigated the consequences of the nuclear disaster not for the sake of glory, but for the sake of saving lives. Their sacrifice stopped the spread of deadly radiation and became a living shield for all of Europe and the world," notes the Head of the UGCC.
According to him, forty years later, we are still only aware of a fraction of the numerous environmental and social challenges posed by Chornobyl, which are reflected in the fates of those affected.
"We mark the current anniversary of Chornobyl in the conditions of a full-scale war that destroys not only human lives, but also God's creation — land, water, and forests, turning them into a disaster zone. The enemy uses civilian nuclear infrastructure as a tool of blackmail. The occupation of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant at the beginning of the invasion and the constant threat at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant indicate that not everyone has learned the lessons of the past."
Patriarch Sviatoslav emphasizes that the world has once again found itself at a dangerous precipice where human pride and irresponsibility can lead to new disasters. He also urges the international community to take decisive action to prevent the repetition of a tragedy that could surpass the events of 1986.