Appeal to prayer for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan

To Most Rev. bishops, clergy, religious people, and our beloved lay people in Christ of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church   My dear brothers and sisters in Christ!   As we have all been informed by the media, today on 11 March 2011 a terrible disaster hit Japan: a devastating earthquake and immediately following it, a gigantic tsunami, took away the lives of thousands of people, dozens are considered missing. The government of Japan called the event the most devastating natural disaster in the history of the country.    The warnings about the danger of a tsunami, following the earthquake in Japan, were announced in many other countries around the world.   The challenges of the disaster require a joint effort of all human beings and Christian compassion. We hope that our government will give a proper response, offering assistance and aid to the victims of the disaster.  Likewise, we sincerely encourage all our faithful to support this noble cause.   The most important thing that each of the faithful can do for the victims of the disaster is to lift up our prayers to the Lord for the rescuing of human lives,  minimization of the disaster’s consequences, and peace of mind of the suffering people.  Likewise, prayers for the souls of the deceased ones are needed, regardless of their creed.   Let our prayers – common and private – become a support for our suffering neighbours, offering up a sign of our closeness, as well as our solidarity with them, in the severity of their trials.   May the Lord have mercy and save us!  

+ Ihor,

Administrator of the Ukrainian

Greek Catholic Church 

 

Given in Kyiv at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ 11 March 2011 AD