ROME — Ukrainian Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk decried the ongoing Russian offensive Saturday while praying that God grant victory to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian people have been “repelling the full-scale offensive of the unjust aggressor, the Russian army, for 80 days, which destroys and kills our people, which tramples upon the Ukrainian land,” Archbishop Shevchuk said in a video message.
“The enemy does not lay down his arms,” he continued. “The enemy is actively and massively attacking, trying to completely capture the territory of at least the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, of the Kherson region. The enemy wants to gain a foothold in Zaporizhzhia.”
“But Ukraine is standing. Ukraine is fighting. And we truly feel that the Lord God blesses our struggle, which is just,” Shevchuk declared.
“May the Lord God, step by step, grant victory to Ukraine — victory over evil, victory over the unjust invader,” he added.
Pope Francis stands next to Catholic Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk during a visit to the Roman basilica Santa Sofia and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Community, on January 28, 2018 in Rome. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
The archbishop also offered the “good news” that Ukraine has successfully defended Kharkiv, along with Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and even Slobozhanshchyna, a “region on the border with the Russian Federation, which is truly historical Ukraine.”
“Today we thank all the defenders of Kharkiv, and all those who gave their lives for the freedom of this ancient Ukrainian great city,” he said.
“Today we ask: O God, save Ukraine! O God, convert those who are killing us today!” he exhorted. “O God, turn away from sin all those who are contemplating wicked plans today, who are today the cause of the scourge of war in the modern world!”
“O God, bless the Ukrainian army, which stops the sinful attacker!” he prayed. “O God, bless the children of Ukraine, turn us all away from sin, and give us true freedom, which is the freedom to do good!”