The Head of the UGCC expressed words of support to the Belarusian people and called on the faithful of the UGCC to pray for them

Sunday, 16 August 2020, 19:20

On behalf of the episcopate, clergy and faithful of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, expressed words of fraternal solidarity and prayerful closeness to the episcopate and clergy of the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches in Belarus, consecrated persons, brothers and sisters in Christ and all Belarusian people, who are fighting now for their rights and freedoms, defending their will, social justice and their own dignity. At the same time, the Head of the Church called on the faithful of the UGCC to pray daily at 9 pm for the Belarusian nation.

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A letter of support was sent to Bishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Archbishop of Minsk-Mohilev, Apostolic Administrator of Pinsk, and Fr. Serhiy Hayek, Apostolic Visitator for Greek Catholics in Belarus.

"With anxiety in our hearts we watch the daily acts of violence perpetrated against defenseless citizens, recognizing in them the events described in the psalmist's words: “For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps. 11: 2-3). We believe that God, the only Lord of human history, is invisibly present in the streets and squares of Belarus to assure His suffering people of His nearness and His salvation: “He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion," (Ps. 11: 4-5), writes His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

The Head of the UGCC also assured the Catholic hierarchs of Belarus in prayers for an end to violence, the establishment of justice, peace and public understanding and consent.

"Realizing the great threats of the current events, we pray for the protection of Belarus from external opposing forces, for the preservation of the unity of the Belarusian people, as well as the independence and territorial integrity of the Belarusian state. We share with you all our faith and firm conviction that our prayers will be heard, "for the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face" (Ps. 11: 7)," His Beatitude Sviatoslav added.

At the same time, the Father and the Head of the UGCC appealed to the sons and daughters of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with a special call to pray for Belarusian people. "In these dramatic days, when the Belarusian people are fighting for their rights and freedoms, defending their will, social justice and dignity, I call on all sons and daughters of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to pray fervently for an end to violence against the innocent, for social order and understanding in the Belarusian people, for peace and preservation of the unity and integrity of the Belarusian state," the document reads.

"Let the expression of our solidarity with the Belarusian people be a sincere and heartfelt prayer, which we will add to our usual daily prayers for peace in Ukraine at 9 pm," asked the Head of the Church.

The UGCC Department for Information