The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said that the prayers, solidarity, and material support that the international community has provided to Ukraine are helping to give his people hope to mark nearly a year of war in the country.
“It’s a miracle we are still alive,” Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk told reporters at a news conference organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on 8 February.
“So many good people around the world are united with us in their prayers, in their thoughts, and also in their generosity,” Shevchuk continued. “Without your assistance, we would not survive.”
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022. Since then, more than 100,000 troops on both sides, as well as tens of thousands of civilians, have been killed.
Shevchuk, who has been speaking to the press frequently since the start of the war. He said that a major focus of Ukraine’s Catholic leaders currently is recognizing that people need “not just food and clothes, but a word of hope.”
Shevchuk urged prayers not only for the Ukrainian people but also for Christians in Russia who are suffering as a result of the war.