Way of the Cross was held in Kyiv

Four years running in the streets of our capital city young people from Kyiv hold a Cross procession during what believers pray for the better future of Ukraine, unity among Christians and peace worldwide. What is remarkable is that this year Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics, orthodox and protestants were united in a common prayer. The citation from the letter of apostle Paul to the Romans was picked up as a slogan for the procession: “Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good”, Rom 12,21.

The Way of the Cross went through the central streets of the capital, mainly from the Church of Saint Basil the Great, UGCC located at Lviv Square to the Ecumenical Church at Heavenly Hundred Heroes Avenue. Thus, faithful of different confessions passed through the central streets of Kyiv (Velyka Zhytomyrska, Mykhailivska, Kostiolna, Triokhsviatytelska, European Avenue and Khreshchatyk). The prayer was finished at Heavenly Hundred Heroes Avenue.

Along the route the Cross of Our Lord was being carried by the representatives of different Christian communities of Kyiv and its suburbs. The prayer was accompanied by various choirs, namely: Small choir of St Basil the Great, Patriarchal choir of the Cathedral of Resurrection, “Askold” choir, Women’s choir of Aquinas Institute, octet of Three Saints Kyiv Theology Seminary “Aksios” and seminarian band “MetaNoya”.

Addressing to the participants of the procession, His Beatitude Sviatoslav marked that during this procession was made a way our ancestors called ancient Jerusalem: “Along this way we have seen the way of life this city leads. Between St Sophia and St Michael Cathedral the flourishing trade is growing. The hard cash is earned on religious souvenirs… Some stared at us as we were geeks, some thought it was another carnival… Still, there were some who stopped and listened to. Listened to the Word of God, ruminating on our reflections, as if they have seen the Living Christ among us, who is entering our Ukrainian capital”.

His Beatitude Sviatoslav also said: “Yes, we were bearing a cross. But the cross is the only symbol of victory Christians carry in themselves. It is a sign of victory with what we greet our Lord who is coming today. All of you have participated in this procession, doing the same what the Jerusalem young people have done before (on Palm Sunday, - AUT.), since you sacrificed and put down to Jesus’s feet your time, attention and prayer”.

Later Head of Church thanked all who were present at the Way of the Cross: “Thank you for showing our faith in our Saviour while walking down the streets of Kyiv, touched by this deep faith of young people. As taking part in the Way of the Cross, we openly witnessed our faith in God and the fact of being Christians”, the Head pointed out.

Apart from the rest, he also thanked the young people who organized this procession: “These or young believers for few years have been gathering us together on Palm Sunday to go this Way of the Cross. Thank you all for being here. Thank you for uniting in belief in the same One Saviour. Here, at the cross of Jesus we once again understood the words of apostle Paul: “One God, one faith, one baptism”. We are Christians who participate in one Baptism, have the same confession in the city which lives its own life”, Head of UGCC stressed on.

At the end, His Beatitude Sviatoslav together with bishop Vitalyi Skomorovskyi gave everybody their blessings.

Press-service of Kyiv Archeparchy