ROME — Ukrainian Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said that during Friday’s consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, all the bishops of the Church prayed for Ukraine’s victory in the war.
“Yesterday, all the bishops of the Catholic Church, together with us, prayed for the victory of Ukraine, for the victory of good over evil, for the end of war and that God’s truth and peace might truly vanquish the war, the devil, and his servants who are provoking this war,” Archbishop Shevchuk said in a video message Saturday.
“Ukraine is experiencing the 31st day of this cruel and unjust war,” the archbishop said. “Tonight, Ukraine was on fire again. There have been bloody battles in the Kyiv region, Sumy; the cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol, other towns and villages of Ukraine were bombed. Blood continues to flow on Ukrainian lands.”
“Nonetheless, Ukraine is united, it is cohesive in the desire to live in a free and independent country. And Ukraine prays,” he declared.
“Yesterday, we lived a special day that probably will go down in history as the day of pan-Ukrainian and universal union,” he said. “Yesterday, we were all united in prayer. We have been called to this prayer by the Holy Father, the Roman Pontiff, who is the symbol and servant of the universal unity of Christ’s Church.”
We were joined “by the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the settlements: those of Central and Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, and also our priests, monks and nuns and all our people of God,” he said.
“This unity — unity in prayer, unity of the whole Church, unity in action, unity in service — is the source of our hope, because only together will we be able to resist, only together will we be able to win,” he declared.