On Epiphany Sunday, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine addressed the faithful and stressed that sacrifice to others would be a greater feat than restrictions on food consumption.
“As we embark on the path of Lent, amid the grief and torment of war imposed on us by Russia, we must strengthen our forces and be inspired by the awareness of the inevitability of the victory of truth, goodness, and light. We are now suffering innocently, like our Savior, but we will soon be glorified as victors, as our Lord is risen and glorified. However, until this blessed time comes, we must work spiritually and physically. During the liturgy, I have already drawn your attention to the peculiarities of the current fast, when sacrifice, mutual aid and charity will truly be a greater feat than restrictions on food,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy, according to the OCU press service.
He added that today the entire Ukrainian people is literally suffering every hour in the terrible realities of war. “These sacrifices are innocent. The Ukrainian people have not done any harm to Russia, which has attacked and tortured, whipped, and crucified us. Therefore, what we are suffering now is, from a spiritual point of view, co-suffering for Christ, that is, innocent suffering.”
It should be reminded that earlier, the head of OCU noted that our soldiers now fast spiritually as they sacrificially stand on the front line of our fight against the enemy. On March 7, fasting services began at the OCU.
