Ecumenical "unity prayer service" of UGCC, Phanar, RCC and OCU held in Kyiv
Ecumenical "prayer of unity". Photo: ugcc.ua
The Ecumenical "prayer of unity" was held at the Resurrection Cathedral in Kyiv (UGCC) on 20 January 2023, where representatives of the UGCC, the Phanar, the RCC, and the OCU participated, reports the press service of the UGCC.
"The unity prayer" was organised by the UGCC Сommission on Inter-Faith and Inter-Religious Relations.
The Ecumenical prayer was led by the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Visvaldas Kulbokas (RCC), Exarch of the Phanar in Kyiv Mykhailo Anishchenko, representatives of the OCU and Protestants also took part in it. In the course of the service, petitions were proclaimed "for the sincere desire for the unity of our people".
Sviatoslav Shevchuk stated that "the archdiocesan prayer expresses God's deepest desire for unity among the disciples”.
The Exarch of the Phanar stated that "all Christian jurisdictions are making efforts to bring this desired unity closer by all possible means". According to him, "one must bear witness to one's desire for unity. It is that unity for which the Lord Jesus Christ prayed”.
The prayer service ended with a prayer for Ukraine, "Great God, One".
As earlier reported, the head of the UGCC said that Ukraine would have a single Church of Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
Read also
Ukraine must have its own faith: Poroshenko's party lays out peace terms
Poroshenko’s party European Solidarity described church policy as a matter of national sovereignty and said there can be no compromises in this area.
432 UOC churches damaged in Ukraine during war, report says
According to the Religion on Fire project, 807 religious buildings in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities.
DESS official gives number of clergy exempt from mobilization in Ukraine
A DESS representative said the actual number of clergy exempt from mobilization is significantly lower than the number of religious organizations designated as critical.
Cabinet keeps gas prices unchanged for religious organizations
The Cabinet has fixed gas prices for religious organizations through the end of the 2026–2027 heating season.
Concert held at seized Cherkasy cathedral
The OCU thanked the musical ensemble for choosing the Cherkasy cathedral as the venue for a Baroque music concert.
OCU activist admits breaking into UOC church in Sloviansk
Oleksandr Onyshchenko said that the OCU held its first "service" at the Seraphim Church, which had previously been broken into by forcing the locks and doors.