May 15, 2015

UGCC patriarch on World War II

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KYIV – The head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, in his May 7 address to the faithful and all people of goodwill on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe said that the ideologies that had caused the war did not become a matter of the past, while memory of the dead and injured is used for the construction of new aggressive ideologies. “Victory over evil that involved the whole international community, is used to construct a neo-Soviet myth, which generates a new war, and the Ukrainian nation becomes its new victim,” he said. The UGCC patriarch also commented on the current situation in Ukraine: “In the face of modern threats we are united in the love of country, feel pride in it, our citizens and our soldiers. Many Ukrainians from different parts of the country are experiencing a genuine patriotic enthusiasm, spreading their feelings to other people.” He added, “The duty of the Christians of our time… is to heal our social consciousness, to fill the concept of patriotism with truly Christian content. Christian patriotism does not exclude anyone, but has as its goal the common good that is so inseparable from responsibility. It is a virtue that can and should be developed.” Patriarch Sviatoslav explained that “Two keys to Christian understanding of patriotism are love and responsibility. Without love, patriotism is powerless, without responsibility it is false and empty.” By prayerfully remembering the millions of innocent victims of Nazi and Stalinist crimes against humanity, said the patriarch, “we are inspired by the example of true patriots – heroes of the liberation struggle of our people of the past century. Let us follow those who managed by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the power of love for their homeland and their people to resist the Nazi and Communist ideologies. They are the real winners, winners over violence and hatred, sin and death. Let their example teach us today to love God and neighbor and lead us to victory.” (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

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