The Head of the UGCC in Fatima consecrated Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Monday, 24 October 2016, 16:49

We are in the unique miraculous place of the apparition of Our Lady, which holds a message and a spiritual call to open the mystery of ecclesiastical history of the whole mankind, and, in particular, the history of our nation. Since we, as no one, when hearing the words about those apparitions of the Mother of God at Fatima, understand that, first and foremost, it's about us, especially about those who are suffering from the war.

This was said by the Head and Father of the UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav in his homily during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on October 23 in Fatima, while addressing Ukrainian pilgrims, who arrived there from Portugal, Italy and Spain. The Head of the Church was joined by Bishops of the Synod of the UGCC and other representatives of Eastern Catholic Churches of Europe.

"Imagine that a hundred years ago this was a remote and desolate stony place, where little shepherds herded their sheep into a pasture, - he went on. - And it was to them, those illiterate children, that the Mother of God spoke to. She asked them what Jesus Christ asked his first Apostles for."

So the Most Holy Virgin Mary called a man to the common work with God in the matter of saving mankind. Our Lady was looking for such an answer and such readiness to be with the Lord in his fight with evil, which were in those little shepherds. The first appeal, which she made to the children in order to save the world from war, was the following: "Are you willing to bear sufferings and sacrifice them for the offences caused to God by mankind? Would you like, by your prayer, repentance, sacrifice, and conversion, to save sinful souls from hell?" Those children said "Yes."

"Such response of a person and his readiness to repentance and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners... turns out stronger than modern weapons of massive destruction. St. Pope John Paul II has proven this himself, having fitted the bullet, which was used to shoot at him, into the crown of Our Lady of Fatima," - said the preacher.

The Head of the Church thanked the Ukrainian migrants for their love for their Church, their people and their Motherland: "I thank you most for, wherever you are, you remain Christians, who give this world an opportunity to meet and know the living God among us, Ukrainians."

His Beatitude Sviatoslav went on to say: "Today I feel my duty to give answer to your request - consecrate Ukraine, our people and other nations of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and give us all under her Veil. Because we know that only through personal mortification and fight with sin we can win the war, in which we are involved now."

Hence the Hierarch asked the pilgrims the same question which Mother of God asked the little shepherds: "Do you want through personal mortification and penance join the fight with sin? Are you ready to sacrifice your pains and sufferings for the conversion of sinners? Are you ready, by sacrificing tears and sufferings of Ukraine, apologize to God for innumerable offences which we and other nations gave Him? All the pilgrims said "Yes."

«Mary, we are standing today before your face and consecrate to your Immaculate Heart and give under your Veil Ukraine and other nations of Eastern Europe and the world. We sacrifice to you our pain and all sufferings of Ukraine because only through conversion and repentance comes peace. Accept our sacrifice and save our people and our land and the world from sin and death," - said the Head of the UGCC, consecrating Ukraine and other nations under the Veil of Our Lady.

The UGCC Department of Information