The department has provided a written summary of it, most of which is as follows.
The Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church especially deplored the destruction of churches during this war, recalling the importance of religious centers that are vital supports for the population.
“It is deeply painful for us to leave our churches and our people, but we look to the future with hope,” he said, before emphasizing that “this week was marked by the destruction of churches in our homeland.” In particular, he denounced the deliberate destruction of a church in Antonivka by Russian forces.
“Last week, we received painful news from the village of Antonivka, located in the Kherson region, on the Dnieper coast, near the famous Antonivsky Bridge. We were struck by the deliberate destruction of the church by the Russians. They conducted reconnaissance and, seeing the people gathered around the church, deliberately destroyed it,” he said with sorrow.
According to recent statements by the President’s Office, more than 630 religious buildings of various denominations have already been destroyed in Ukraine. This number, unfortunately, is increasing daily.
The Role of the Church Among the Ukrainian People
The head of the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine noted that Ukrainian society has clearly served as witness to the fundamental role that the Church, the priests, and the church community play in the life of the long-suffering Ukrainian people, especially in the midst of this brutal war.
He explained that this week “we were forced to begin evacuating our community from the city of Myrnohrad, in the Donetsk region. The state authorities also announced the forced evacuation of the population of the city of Pokrovsk.”
“The harsh reality is that when the Russian occupiers approach a village, they completely destroy it. It is like a wall of fire that engulfs everything. No one can survive in such conditions. The enemy does not liberate anything, despite its claims, but instead follows a scorched earth policy,” added Sviatoslav.
A Priest Is the Last to Leave the Ship
The head of the Ukrainian Church finally explained that the priest is faced with complex questions about what to do in such circumstances: should he leave his church, his city, his village, or should he stay and face certain death?
"A priest," the primate emphasizes, “like a captain, should be the last to leave. Today I can testify that our priests treat their people as true shepherds. That is why the Ukrainians trust, regardless of their confession, in the priests, monks, and nuns of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church continues to grow.”