Three years ago, Ukrainians awoke to the sound of explosions and anxious phone calls bearing the dreadful words: “The war has begun.” At dawn on February 24, 2022, the first air raid siren echoed across our land, and for 1,097 days and nights, it has not fallen silent.
Over these years, Ukrainians have learned to navigate the harsh realities of full-scale war. The wail of sirens, though ever-present, no longer instills the same terror—it has become a call to vigilance, a summons to action. We know where the nearest shelter is and how long our phone charge will last. We structure our days around power outages. Businesses, both great and small, continue to adapt with remarkable ingenuity. Soldiers, medics, and rescuers sharpen their skill and resolve daily to preserve life. Families remain connected across borders, sustaining one another.
Yet, we have not become accustomed to war. One cannot grow used to evil, nor resign oneself to it. We have become stronger than we were on that fateful morning three years ago. But we have not come to terms with our losses—each one hurts. Every fallen defender, every innocent life lost remains in the memory of God and people. We remember and pray. We support and uphold. We stand and fight, ever mindful of the God-given dignity that no force on earth can take from us.
Yet Ukraine still needs your voice, your solidarity. As the world deliberates peace agreements, we must remind all: Ukraine is not merely a land—it is its people. It is for their dignity and freedom that our best sons and daughters lay down their lives. And they do so not only for Ukraine but for the dignity and freedom of all people. This heroic sacrifice must never be forgotten, diminished, or betrayed.
Russia brings death, devastation, and the eradication of religious freedom.
To the world, we proclaim: Ukrainians believe in the triumph of God’s truth. Even amidst sorrow and ruin, we remain a people of hope. We believe in the Resurrection, for we know: God is with us—with the persecuted, the oppressed, the mourning, and the suffering. In Him, we place all our trust. And so, we stand, we fight, we pray.
We know that one morning, we will receive the long-awaited call: “The war is over,” and we will offer our prayers of thanksgiving before the throne of the Almighty.
Christ is Risen! Ukraine shall rise!
The Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which is currently taking place in Canada, has issued its Appeal on the third anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine
https://lnkd.in/dQFqkdRP