The Head of the Church: "Conciliarism is the strength of Ukrainian people"

Thursday, 22 January 2015, 13:28

The Father and the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church His Beatitude Sviatoslav on the Day of Ukrainian Conciliarism during the Liturgy in the ecumenical Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Ukrainian martyrs, on Instytutska Street in Kyiv, urged people of good will and all the faithful of the Greek Catholic Church to last in continuous prayer and fasting. "We must not weaken our prayers today. After all, this united prayer is heard in different parts of Ukraine and unites us before God, it is the key to our victory", - said His Beatitude Sviatoslav. Today Ukraine is celebrating the day of its Conciliarism. What is Conciliarism, what does it contain? Why is it so important to realize the meaning of this concept? "The word "conciliarism" we find in our Symbol of Faith - said the Preacher. - The Holy Fathers at Nicaea and Constantinople when they wanted to outline the signs of Christ's Church, professed this: I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Literally, the word "catholic" is translated "conciliar". This means that Christ founded one unitary Church". For us, Ukrainians, says His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the word "conciliarism" has another meaning. In particular, this day we celebrate the memory of a historical event - the Day of Unification. "At Sofia square into the one unified state was united Ukrainian National Republic and the Western Ukrainian National Republic. Our Ukrainian people who throughout history were torn between empires finally gained their state, which included all those who wanted to live in a united, free and independent Ukraine",- said the Head of the Church. During the Liturgy priests commemorated all the fallen heroes of Maidan, the wounded, our priests, pastors of different confessions that at critical moments never left their people, and had been with them and carried the Word of God to them. "In the church on Instytutska Street we want to raise to the Lord our requests for our army - for those who today give their lives for the Unity of Ukraine. The Lord made all those historic moments strangely. These days there are severe bloody battles at Donetsk airport, at 29th and 31th blockpoints and throughout the boundary the blood continues to pour. But we believe that Maidan survived and prevailed, because we prayed, and our Conciliar Ukraine will stand out and win, because we pray"- said the Head of the UGCC. After the Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav served the service for the dead at the memorial cross of Heavenly hundred on Instytutska street. UGCC Department of Information

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"We must not weaken our prayers today. After all, this united prayer is heard in different parts of Ukraine and unites us before God, it is the key to our victory", - said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

Today Ukraine is celebrating the day of its Conciliarism. What is Conciliarism, what does it contain? Why is it so important to realize the meaning of this concept? "The word "conciliarism" we find in our Symbol of Faith - said the Preacher. - The Holy Fathers at Nicaea and Constantinople when they wanted to outline the signs of Christ's Church, professed this: I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Literally, the word "catholic" is translated "conciliar". This means that Christ founded one unitary Church".

For us, Ukrainians, says His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the word "conciliarism" has another meaning. In particular, this day we celebrate the memory of a historical event - the Day of Unification. "At Sofia square into the one unified state was united Ukrainian National Republic and the Western Ukrainian National Republic. Our Ukrainian people who throughout history were torn between empires finally gained their state, which included all those who wanted to live in a united, free and independent Ukraine",- said the Head of the Church.

During the Liturgy priests commemorated all the fallen heroes of Maidan, the wounded, our priests, pastors of different confessions that at critical moments never left their people, and had been with them and carried the Word of God to them.

"In the church on Instytutska Street we want to raise to the Lord our requests for our army - for those who today give their lives for the Unity of Ukraine. The Lord made all those historic moments strangely. These days there are severe bloody battles at Donetsk airport, at 29th and 31th blockpoints and throughout the boundary the blood continues to pour. But we believe that Maidan survived and prevailed, because we prayed, and our Conciliar Ukraine will stand out and win, because we pray"- said the Head of the UGCC.

After the Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav served the service for the dead at the memorial cross of Heavenly hundred on Instytutska street.

UGCC Department of Information