FROM THE SAINT-PETERSBURG AND NORTHERN-RUSSIAN DIOCESE: APPEAL FOR PEACE IN THE UKRAINE

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation (Mat. 24:6).

Today, we are hearing not only about wars, but with profound heart-felt pain are witnessing the suffering and death of people. The Gospel contains Apostle Matthews’s words: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (23:37).

Storm-beaten with our passions and avarice, it was us that didn’t want to come under the Lord’s wing. However, whatever frightening events that entered our lives, we must remember that the Lord gives us time for prayer: gifts us time to cleanse our stone-hardened hearts… time for reconsideration of our acts, our judgements.

Let us arm ourselves firmly with the Gospel and the Word of God. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we must with all the amplitude of the Church pray for a speedy restoration of peace and brotherly love. This would be a sword or flaming arrow for the enemies of the human race!

In the Heavenly Kingdom, there will be no victor over his brother: there will be fulfillers of God’s laws and not human laws.   

From today, we are blessing the following entreaty in our Diocese:

O, so that the hearts of implacable and animalistic people are speedily changed from their bloodletting desire to brotherly love and conciliation: apply and allay the mutually destructive warfare.

Let us pray to the Lord.

O, the entire eradication of all discord, divisions, enmity and inter-brotherly hatred, conflict and blood-letting in the Ukraine: and gift all the people on earth calm and peace, and shield them in their earthly desires.

Let us pray to the Lord.