Head of the UGCC prays that Ukrainians “live truthfully, be just in your actions, and love your nation” on Independence Day

During the celebration of Ukraine’s 18^th year as an independent country, a prayer service for our country took place at the St. Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. It is a tradition to begin Independence Day celebrations with a prayer for Ukraine and the Ukrainian nation that was initiated a few years ago by Victor Yushchenko. From the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Lubomyr, Major Archbishopric of Kyiv-Halych, was present for the prayer. In the St. Sofia Cathedral, President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko with his family, Premier-minister of Ukraine Yuliya Tymoshenko, Chairman of the Supreme Council Volodymyr Lytvyn, Head of the Secretariat of President of Ukraine Vera Ulyanchenko, city public representative, political as well as public figures prayed together. The prayer service was lead by representatives from different religious confessions. “The Lord, our God! There is a disorder happening within us, which we call the crisis. Each of us has tried to analyze it and search for a solution in order to come out from that crisis, but thus far it has been without any success and without benefit to the greater community. For some reason, we do not want to appeal to You and to seek that unity that You want to give us. And you, My God, in Your infinite wisdom, have given us a very simple solution, which is captured in just three words: truth, justice, love,” said the Head of the UGCC during the prayer. “Today, we have gathered here in this church of Your Wisdom, on this important celebratory day for Ukraine, to ask You, My Lord, to give us the courage and spiritual strength to accept and to live in Unity: to live truthfully, to be just in our actions, and to love our own nation. We ask this of You, My Lord, and we hope that through the grace of Your mercy and the Holiest Mother of God, whose cathedral we stand in today, and through the prayers of all the Saints, that were born from our Ukrainian earth. Amen,” prayed His Beatitude Lubomyr.

Information Department of the UGCC

Photo: www.president.gov.ua