Ukrainian religious leaders on the attacks in Belgium
Spiritual leaders of Ukraine expressed their condolences regarding the series of terrorist attacks that happened on March 22 in Brussels.
Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk), in particular, sent a letter to the Ambassador of Belgium to Ukraine, where on behalf of the UGCC community around the world said the expressed solidarity with all the families of the victims of the attack.
“In light of the attacks perpetrated today in Brussels, and on behalf of the global community of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, I express our spiritual solidarity and our heartfelt sympathy to all the families of the victims. Our common experience of terror is not theoretical, our past and present help us sincerely to feel your pain today as a result of blind violence”, wrote Shevchuk.
He added: “We are at your side and stand with you, your civil authorities, with Catholics and all people of good will in Belgium. We support the leadership of the European Union at this moment of crisis and great challenge to European identity”.
The head of Adventist Church in the Stanislav Nosov on behalf of his faithful condemned terrorism and called all people to mutual forgiveness and patience.
"Today's explosions in the capital of Belgium took the lives of dozens of people, and the number of victims is growing. Seventh Day Adventist Church reminds us that terrorism is an unacceptable way of resolving social and political conflicts. Terrorists direct weapons against civilians who have no chance to defend themselves”, he said
Bishop of Paris, Borys (Gudziak) bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church addressed his words of sympathy and solidarity to Belgians and Europeans. He called to pray for the victims and their families.
“Terrorism seeks to kill and kills so as to terrorize. It strikes arbitrarily at innocent individuals seeking to condemn us all to the dungeons of fear. We fail with human reason to understand and accept such tragedy. At the same time embracing each other as we rely on the Lord, who with His death conquered death, we resolve to resist and vanquish this onslaught on our most fundamental values and the core of our European identity – the sacredness of human life itself”, bishop wrote.
Great sin called terrorism Said Ismagilov, Mufti of Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah".
"On behalf of Muslims of Ukraine I categorically condemn terrorism and express my condolences to the families and relatives of people killed in bombings in Brussels. Terrorism - it is a great sin and a great injustice, because through such crimes innocent civilians are killed ... It's awful. Terrorism has nothing to do with religion, criminals do not care who kill, they do not care which Scripture you read and what religion you belong to "- he wrote in his Facebook page.