Bethlehem Light of Peace is in Lviv

On December 18 at the Rava-Rus’ka border crossing, Plast members [scouts] of the Lviv Region for the tenth time now received from Polish Harcers [scouts] the Bethlehem Light of Peace. Now the symbol of faith and hope lit in Bethlehem, the city of the birth of Jesus Christ, will shine in every Ukrainian home. The Light has now passed from Bethlehem from hand to hand through Austria, Slovakia and Poland, and now, thanks to Plast, Ukraine is part of the scout marathon. The representatives of the largest organization of the Union of Polish Hartsers (ZHP in its Polish acronym) passed the Light to Plast leaders in Ukraine. After this, standing together in a traditional scout circle, the Plast members and Harcers sang Christmas songs, including songs symbolic of the Bethlehem Light, and also exchanged greetings and gifts. On that day the Light was brought to Lviv and passed for keeping to the main cathedrals of the Churches which blessed this action: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and Roman Catholic Church. Just as last year, the Light was taken from the border to Lviv by bicyclists. After this they will head to Kyiv, where on December 21 the Light will be transferred on Sophia’s Square to the citizenry of Kyiv and also to leaders of Plast centers of south, central and eastern Ukraine. In addition, on December 21 the Bethlehem Light will burn on Hoverla, where it also will be delivered by Plast members. For the faithful of all Lviv’s churches Plast members will pass the Light on January 4. On this day Plast members will spread it in hospitals, orphanages, and old people’s homes, so that on Christmas Eve in the heart of every one the spark of love and hope takes fire.

Information from Yaryna Vdovynych,
Press-secretary of the Lviv station