Catholic Archbishop in Ukraine says "They desecrated the Orthodox Church. People were interrogated and tortured...around this church we find dozens of bodies of innocent Ukrainians killed."



Daily Message from the Major Archbishop and Head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church:
 Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear ones in Christ, brothers and sisters! Today is Sunday, April 10, 2022, and Ukraine is already experiencing the 46th day of nationwide resistance, attack, aggression, and Russia's war against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian people feel that this war is not a war only against some state structure or only against some part of Ukrainian society. This is a total war to destroy all our people. And we see it. We see the consequences, the fruits of the actions of the occupiers on our land.
The last day, the last night were a time of active hostilities in Ukraine. Our towns and villages trembled again at night. Blood flowed again on Ukrainian soil and tears were shed. Our Kharkiv is brave and the Kharkiv region is bravely defending itself against the attacker. Heavy fighting is going on in the South of Ukraine. The martyr city of Mariupol is courageously defending itself. The Kherson region is courageously resisting the occupiers and awaits its release by the Ukrainian army.
Today special prayers are pouring in Odessa. A round-the-clock curfew has been introduced in Odessa today. And although today is Sunday, we all rush to our churches to take part in the Divine Liturgy, today believers in Odessa will not be able to do so. That is why today we are especially praying for the Odessa region, for the city on the Black Sea, which is a special pearl of Ukraine.
This Sunday, I call on all, all Christians who will rush to their churches to pray for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian people. Let us sacrifice the Divine Liturgy for the victory of good over evil in Ukraine, for the liberation of Ukrainian land from the unjust invader. Today, especially on Sunday, Christians rush to their temples to fulfill the three commandments of the Decalogue in a special way. The Lord God says to His people, "I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before Me." Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain. And remember to celebrate the holy day. " These three commandments determine our relationship to our God, Creator and Savior. They protect this life-giving relationship of each person, each creation with its Creator, with the source of our life, our existence, with the source of our strength and the source of our victory.
These days, terrible crimes of the occupiers are opening in Ukraine. And on Sunday I would like to recall the circumstances that simply shocked all believers. In the Chernihiv region, in the village of Lukashivka, the occupiers set up their headquarters in the Orthodox Church of the Ascension, which is an architectural monument. They desecrated the Orthodox Church. People were interrogated and tortured there. And now around this church we find dozens of bodies of innocent Ukrainians killed. Those who call themselves Orthodox Christians have desecrated the temple and turned the place where God's name was to be worshiped into a place of torture, bullying and murder.
Lord, help us to honor our relationship with You! Help us to be good children of Yours! Help us to honor, celebrate the holy day as you expect us to!
On this day we pray: God, bless the Ukrainian people! Give victory to the Ukrainian army! Protect the lives of civilians! God bless Ukraine!
Source: UGCC Youtube Channel

Comments