This is the most “silent” Church. They don’t want to put their position at ris. If they say what they really think, tomorrow there will be no Catholic Church in Russia. Therefore, they understand and pray for us, but they live in a totalitarian state where they cannot openly express their opinion.
Stanislav Shirokoradiuk, bishop of the Odesa-Simferopol Diocese of the RCC, said this in an interview with Suspilne.
Regarding the attitude of the Russians themselves to the war on Ukraine, the bishop said:
“I hoped that they would wake up sooner. But faith has not died out – I still hope that common sense will speak. To watch how people and cities die, and not to think about on whom this shed blood falls. Christians know the teaching of the church that innocent blood shed calls for vengeance from heaven. Abel’s blood, God said, “Where is your brother, Abel?” And Cain replied that he did not know. But the blood cried out to the Lord.
As Pilate judged Jesus Christ and said: “I do not want to be guilty of the blood of this innocent.” And the crowd of people shouted: “His blood be upon us and on our children.” They shouted at themselves. The Russians are doing the same when they support aggression. They are saying the same thing today: “Blood be upon us and upon our children.” I think that the Russians will think about who will be responsible for the spilled blood, for the killed and maimed children, for all the people who suffered. But this awakening is very slow. But it will be there. I’m not losing hope.”
The Odesa-Simferopol bishop is sure that the war will end with the victory of Ukraine: “It cannot be any other way. Why? There is a fight between good and evil, darkness and light. Light always wins. As the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said, this is a diabolical war. To have such hatred for people, for no reason, without ground, to shed so much blood. This is something inhuman. People should be held accountable for their actions. God is on our side and He is a just judge.”
