On August 1, the website of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church published an excerpt of the speech of its head, the Supreme Archbishop of Kyiv-Halytskyi Svyatoslav. The article presents the hierarch’s reflections on the future of Ukraine and Europe. He shared them on August 23 during a meeting with the movement “Ukrainian Youth of Christ”.
“I am convinced that the Europe, Ukraine, and Russia that existed before the war are no longer there,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav. “And we don’t need to be nostalgic for that. If someone thinks that post-war Ukraine will only be about a return to everything that was before, it is an illusion. We can be much better.”
The Primate emphasized that Europe is experiencing a belated shock and has not yet realized that the war in Ukraine is not just a war for Ukraine, it is a war in Europe. In addition, he noted that Ukrainian youths grow up faster than those in calm and wealthy countries. Because of the war, kids lose their childhood and grow up very quickly. But these changes, according to the head of the UGCC, the explosion of the volcano that happened in Ukraine, will make the whole of Europe boil.
“Sometimes it hurts us when we feel that many in Europe do not understand Ukraine,” Svyatoslav Shevchuk said. “And it is not only about secular but also church figures. On the other hand, I fear those who consider themselves experts. Therefore, Europe will change, and we will be the catalyst for those changes. As a hot stone heats a whole vessel of water, so Ukraine will heat Europe and make it different.”
It should be recalled that the head of the UGCC called on the Catholics around the world to listen to the Ukrainian youths at the event in Lisbon.
