On Wednesday, April 12, Metropolitan Epifaniy, the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, consecrated more than 5,000 paschas baked for the Armed Forces in St Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral. In total, more than 20,000 Easter loaves will be consecrated and handed over to the front lines, public broadcaster UA:PBC reports.
“Thanks to the benefactors who help us, we send tens of thousands of paschas to our heroes, soldiers who are currently defending our territorial integrity. It is through bread, through paschas, that we convey our blessing and our love to them so that they feel that all of Ukraine is now in this fight,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy.
The Commander of the Joint Forces, Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev, said that the paschas will be handed over to the soldiers in the Northern Operational Zone and other areas. “We understand that faith in the Lord allows all our soldiers to pursue their most cherished dreams and overcome all the obstacles that are now on the way to our Victory with faith in God,” Naiev said.
According to him, 5,500 paschas were consecrated that day, and more will be consecrated later. “This must be done, the fighters believe in this, it raises the fighting spirit of the soldier on the front line. It’s nice and it lifts the mood on the front line,” says Oleksandr, who has been serving for two years already. He said he had also spent the previous Easter holiday at the front.
The already consecrated paschas will be transferred to the Volyn, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy directions. Those who will be consecrated tomorrow will be taken to the East and South, where soldiers from different units perform their tasks.
“Each military unit has military chaplains who take care of this issue. We have vehicles and logistical support to deliver these paschas to each regiment, to each defensive position, including the hot spots,” Naiev added.
