Will God hear us on National Prayer Day?
The bill on National Prayer Day submitted to the Verkhovna Rada seems appropriate at first glance, but doesn’t this resemble what the Gospel says: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites...”?
At the end of 2024, a draft law on establishing National Prayer Day in Ukraine has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. According to the authors, it should be the date of the beginning of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine – 24 February. The initiative, supported by 37 MPs, suggests that on this day, the Rada sing: "O Great and Only God, save Ukraine for us", regional administrations hold a “Light a Candle” campaign, and a “series of celebratory events” be organized.
And all this seems to be right, but somehow this “series of events” feels like yet another routine performance, similar to those held for numerous other commemorations. But in the phrase “National Prayer Day” the emphasis should be not on “national” but on the word “prayer”. Will this be the case here?
What is the prayer for?
The bill establishing National Prayer Day was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada on 19 December 2024. It proposes amendments to the Labour Code of Ukraine, originally adopted under Soviet rule in 1971. Specifically, Article 73, which lists public holidays and commemorative days, is proposed to be supplemented with the following text: “To establish such memorial days: 24 February – National Prayer Day”. The Cabinet of Ministers in collaboration with the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations (UCCRO) should develop a series of events to be held on this day.
Given that this same “pious” Rada recently “cancelled” Christmas by removing the 7 January public holiday, one cannot help but recall the Soviet era, when the Party dictated what and how people should celebrate. It seems likely that Bill 12336 will pass, as it has been sponsored by the leaders of major parliamentary factions, including D. Arakhamia (“Servant of the People”), Y. Tymoshenko (“Batkivshchyna”), and others. The authors justify the law as essential “to raise moral and patriotic spirit”.
But will all the activities on National Prayer Day have anything to do with real prayer?
What does prayer mean?
Let's look at what the Holy Fathers say about prayer. St John Chrysostom wrote: “Prayer is a conversation with God as with a friend. It is not a mere repetition of words, but a sincere and deep appeal of the soul to God.” Is this possible at a prayer lunch? Or take St. Basil the Great’s words: “Prayer is the lifting of the mind to God; it is the light that cleanses the soul from all filth,” and St. Isaac the Syrian’s: “Prayer is the quiet conversation of the soul with God, in which it pours out all its cares and sorrows before Him.”
In the Explanatory Note, the initiators of the draft law describe prayer as follows: “Prayer to God is a supernatural force for victory and a guarantee of the consolidation and unity of Ukrainian society.” The MPs also assert that “prayer will become a symbol of our faith in victory,” the law itself suggests praying “for victory and restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
Thus, the desire for communion with God is replaced by purely utilitarian goals: victory in the war with Russia and the return of territories. This reflects an entirely different understanding of prayer.
It is both possible and necessary to pray for victory and unity. For example, on 24 February 2023, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, Primate of the UOC, said: "From the very beginning of the war, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has blessed its faithful to defend their homeland and called for special prayer for Ukraine, for all those affected by the war; and, of course, for the soldiers, for it is they who, according to the words of St John Chrysostom, are the bulwark placed at the forefront to guard the peace of those inside.”
During every liturgy in every UOC church, a special prayer is offered for Ukraine, for our armed forces, for all those affected by the war, and for those who have perished. However, none of this is the ultimate goal. Apostle Paul commanded to pray for the authorities: "First of all, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour…” (1 Tim. 2:1–3). But the Apostle also explained why this should be done: “[God] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
What we are asked to do, however, is to set aside this ultimate purpose of prayer – salvation and eternal life – and instead accept that prayer is merely a means to achieve victory in war, a guarantee of reclaiming lost territories, and a tool for societal unity.
Whom are we to pray to?
True prayer, in the Church’s understanding, cannot serve as a guarantee of unity in Ukrainian society simply because our society is not united in its religious affiliations. We have Jews, Christians, Muslims, representatives of other religions. There are also several Christian confessions. Unity in prayer presupposes unity in faith. So, who do the MPs propose to pray to on National Prayer Day? To Christ, Mohammed, Jehovah, or someone else?
Church canons forbid praying with those who do not share fundamental doctrinal truths or with anyone excommunicated from the Church. The 10th Apostolic Canon states: “If any one shall pray, even in a private house, with an excommunicated person, let him also be excommunicated.”
But even without the apostolic rules and canons we can see the deceitfulness and hypocrisy of the initiators of the Bill 12336 and today's Ukrainian authorities in general. If we look at the list of authors of this bill, we see such fierce persecutors of the UOC as M. Poturaev, M. Kniazhytskyi, O. Aliksiychuk, and others. In fact, the majority of the 37 authors of the National Prayer Day bill are those who voted for the ban on the UOC.
How can one oppose Christ’s Church, seize its temples, approve repressions against its clergy, and simultaneously organise “National Prayer Day”? And then claim this day is a guarantee of societal unity? How can you actually outlaw 6 million Ukrainian citizens, take away their constitutional right to freedom of religion, splitting Ukrainian society, and yet talk about unity? Is this not the height of lies and hypocrisy?!
What’s behind the mask of piety?
The Ukrainian authorities have launched a full-scale campaign of persecution against UOC believers, defaming them in the media and on social networks, and levelling absurd and baseless accusations against them. This wave of anti-church propaganda has cultivated hatred towards UOC believers among parts of the Ukrainian population. They have essentially been branded as “enemies of the people” (or, in modern terms, “FSB agents”), much like during the 1930s. And after all this, National Prayer Day is being proposed in the name of unity. How can these things possibly coexist?
Could this initiative be a smokescreen, designed to mislead both Ukrainian citizens and international partners? Perhaps, it aims to obscure the widespread violations of religious rights currently occurring in Ukraine. “Look how devout we are,” the narrative might go. “How could such pious people persecute any denomination or violate religious freedoms? Never!”
Who will be praying and how?
The text of the bill stipulates that regional administrations must ensure a “series of measures” for the celebration. But what exactly does this “series” entail, and how will it be implemented? Most likely, the regions will follow Kyiv’s lead – specifically, that of the President. The President has already established a particular format for religious events, which is likely to become the standard.
On 6 December 2024, Armed Forces Day, Volodymyr Zelensky held a “military prayer breakfast” at the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a site seized from the Church. For this purpose, a platform was constructed, and tables were arranged and set for the event. To ensure the President was clearly visible, large screens were placed on either side of the platform, broadcasting his image. Paradoxically, on this day of the “prayer breakfast”, these screens covered the icons of saints that Orthodox Christians had prayed to in this temple not long before. Where once stood lecterns for believers to confess their sins before God and receive forgiveness, there were now tables laden with food and drinks.
This is the format of official state prayer today. Again, with Muslims, Jews, Protestants, and others.
Some may argue that Zelensky merely copied the format of the “Prayer Breakfast” that has existed globally for over half a century. But does such an event truly exemplify a prayer gathering?
The National Prayer Breakfast in the United States is traditionally held on the first Thursday of February. It is attended by the U.S. President, members of Congress, public and religious figures, foreign guests, and anyone else eager to be seen among the world’s powerful. The schedule includes the reading of Scriptures and prayers, but everyone understands that these are secondary. Networking with influential individuals, resolving pressing issues, making political statements, and, of course, taking photos with celebrities – these are the real reasons for attending the event.
Traditionally, this event, which is attended by approximately three and a half thousand people, takes place at the Hilton Hotel. Ukraine seems to have "improved" on this concept by relocating it to Orthodox churches. On Armed Forces Day, the breakfast was held at the Lavra’s Refectory Church, taken away from the UOC. After transforming UOC temples into state reserves in other regions, it’s likely that such state events, including National Prayer Day, may also be held there. After all, these shrines are now empty. For example, the cathedral seized from the UOC in Chernihiv is now used for film screenings, and the cathedral in Cherkasy for concerts. In the style of the Bolshevik-communists, who turned churches into cinemas and clubs.
What lies beneath the surface? The gross violation of freedom of religion and the division of Ukrainian citizens into “right” and “wrong” believers have been mentioned. But this is only the religious field, and there are other shameful phenomena that also have to do with morality and ethics. Corruption and bureaucracy run rampant. Recruitment officers and members of medical commissions enjoy unprecedented luxury. Entrepreneurs go bankrupt under the oppression of taxes and extortion by officials, the majority of the population lives below the poverty line, etc. This sad list could go on indefinitely. Worst of all, there seems to be little hope for change in the near future. But at least we’ll have our National Prayer Day!
This glaring discrepancy between the outward and the inward is very clearly stated in the Gospel:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practised the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:23–28).
This resonates profoundly with our situation. Nothing more can be added.
Self-rebuking
In the Explanatory Note attached to Bill 12336, its initiators unknowingly rebuked themselves. They cite examples of how prayer has changed the course of history and influenced global events. For instance, they mention Churchill instituting National Prayer Day in the UK, followed by the successful evacuation of British forces from Dunkirk. Similarly, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for national prayer, U.S. forces conducted a successful operation in Normandy.
In other words, the authors of Bill 12336 acknowledge that a nation’s relationship with prayer, God, and the Church can profoundly impact historical battles and events shaping the fate of countries and peoples. So why do these same authors fail to see how persecution against the UOC has catastrophically affected Ukraine’s position in the war with Russia? Why don’t they notice how, after the Church faced persecution, the successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stalled?
This is detailed with dates and facts in the article “UOC Ban and the War with Russia: Prophets on the Causes of Military Defeats.” We recommend it to those who believe in the randomness of victories and defeats and to those who think God’s Church can be destroyed without consequences. For now, let’s simply note that all the brilliant successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – defending Kyiv, liberating the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv operation, and the liberation of Kherson – all occurred before the authorities began full-scale persecution of the UOC.
After Zelensky’s infamous speech on 1 December 2022, in which he announced a series of measures by the National Security and Defence Council targeting the UOC, there have been nothing but failures, questionable decisions, and losses of people and territory. Isn’t it clear that all of this is interconnected? Is it not clear that spiritual laws operate as invariably as physical laws, and even more so? Has no one read in the Holy Scriptures: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
Postscript
Common prayer is good. National Prayer Day is not a bad idea. Even prayer breakfasts are acceptable (just not in the Lavra, of course). But the bad thing is that they cover up iniquity, deceit, and hypocrisy. Until we cleanse, as Christ said, the “inside of the cup and the dish”, no benefit will come from their polished exterior.
