His Beatitude Sviatoslav placed the Ukrainian Country under the Intercession of the Blessed Mother

Today I came to this Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Mother in the famous city of Lviv, to fulfill one act and mission which I was asked by people to do.  Today, our people are crying for justice to the heavens.   

Hundreds of people asked me to place the Ukrainian people under the patronage of the Blessed Mother. Our Heavenly Mother, our Holy Intercessor, we have no one else who would cover us, there is no one to arbitrate for us: wounded, wronged, suffering, losing faith before your Son and God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Cover us, protect us, lead us with your holy intercession out of this, because you are out intercessor,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

During the sermon, the Church Prelate reminded all that this Sunday is called the Sunday of Zackhea and it begins to prepare us for the Great Lent.  On this Sunday “we hear about a very deep and interesting event.  Jesus Christ among the throng of his people went to search for that which died…”   

According to the words of the preacher on this day the Salesian Family of our Church celebrates a holy day particular for them – Blessed and Holy Don Bosco, the founder of the Salesian community.

The preacher reminded all that Don Bosco was a very interesting figure because he lived at a time when the political map of Italy was changing, in the second half of the 19^th century, at a time when the Papal nation stopped existing and Pope Pius IX announced himself as a prisoner of the Vatican, at a time when the persecution of the Church was beginning...

“And then God finds a young priest who is not afraid to be with his people.  He goes to prison, looks for young men (who came from southern Italy to look for jobs in the north) in order to protect them…   In this way Saint Bosco became a sign of God’s presence among His people, who at that time were terrified and broken down.  And the mission of the young Salesian was to show that this time – complex and bloody – is sometimes a time of salvation.   Today on this house, on this city, salvation came, because we as the Church search for that which is dead and bring it to God.  The Church is with its people.  The Church is the source of the strength of these people,” emphasized His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

The Church Prelate remembered an expression of St. Bosco: “a sad saint is a doubtful saint.”  Because the one who believes in God, said the hierarch, has happiness not from political safety and social order but has joy because God is together with him and he is close to God.

“Today salvation has descended on this home -- how we need today to hear these words of Christ, especially during the time we are experiencing,  at a time when our hearts are filled with trepidation and sadness, at a time when blood is shed and people disappear, when we really have no one on whom to pin our hopes, -- only God.  And today, on this Sunday, the figure of Don Bosco tells you and me: today on our nation God’s salvation has descended, because the Church is, was, and will be with its people, will be the source of their strength and courage.  So today let us smile together with Don Bosco – let us not be sad, our hope is in God, and He will never mislead us,” stressed the Church Head.

It is noteworthy that during the Liturgy seven young women and men dedicated their lives to God and took the holy oath, entered the so-called “third order” of the Salesians – the “Salesian Team”, so that without leaving a normal life and their families, they will dedicate all their efforts for God’s truth, enlightenment and upbringing of Ukrainian youth, affirming the presence of God’s Kingdom in their native Ukraine.

After a festive collegial snack, His Beatitude Sviatoslav met with the Provincial Council of Salesians and discussed the issue of the development of their community in Ukraine and their mission.

UGCC Department of Information