From the Head of the UGCC: Russians burn killed civilians in Mariupol, as Nazis did in Auschwitz

Thursday, 07 April 2022, 21:07

Yesterday we learned that Russia brought mobile crematorium trucks, -- together with its artillery, missiles and heavy weapons, -- to Mariupol, where throughout the day and night, they burn the innocent civilians killed. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said in his daily address on the 43rd day of the Russian war against Ukraine.

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“Only during World War II in Majdanek, Auschwitz, and other famous Nazi concentration camps, has Europe witnessed this type of crematorium near civilian cities. The smoke of crematoria again rises to heaven from the Ukrainian land,” the Primate commented.

Despite everything, the Head of the Church stressed, Ukraine is defending itself. Even more, Ukraine is fighting for the right to life and for the respect of human life, not only for its children and its people, but also for everyone in today's turbulent world.

Today, we in Ukraine celebrate the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which our Byzantine tradition calls the “beginning of our salvation”.

The Feast of the Annunciation in wartime… "Today is the beginning, that is, the source of the Ukrainian people’s salvation from the murderous Russian hand. During these days, Ukraine and the world are once again trembling, revealing the war crimes of the Russian occupier,” added His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

The Head of the Church is convinced that Russia’s ideology, that of the final destruction of the Ukrainian people, which numbers almost sixty million, is repeating murderous Nazi patterns, and are the foundations of a new order.

“Yet seeing those two realities - the Divine and the human, the logic of life and the logic of death, we still accept the logic of Divine power and ask: Lord, may the Holy Spirit descend on us. May the power of the Most High overshadow us,” pleaded the spiritual leader, adding: “And just as after the Annunciation, the Virgin Mary hurried to Elizabeth’s aid, we beseech You on this feast-day: Save us, hasten to help Ukraine, so that the power of the Most High may save the future in Ukraine and the world.”

UGCC Department of Information