Metropolitan Epifaniy, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, in his address on the International Mother Tongue Day, emphasized the importance of using the mother language in church.
He believes that every nation has its own native language, which is an integral part of its identity. When language disappears, the nation’s uniqueness disappears as well.
“February 21 is International Mother Language Day. Every nation has its native language, it is an integral part of its existence, its heart, its key feature. When language disappears, the uniqueness of the identity disappears, originality is lost. If the language in the mouth of the people dies out – the people as a nation also dies out. That is why Russia has always been so eager to ban, humiliate, and destroy the Ukrainian language – so that there would be no Ukrainian people, their history, traditions, values, and their place would be taken by other people – be they Russian or Soviet…
Our Lord Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, gave the commandment to the disciple-apostles: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28: 19 – 20). But how can you address “all nations” without knowing their languages? Only the native, understandable language in the Church is the best suited for the true fulfillment of Christ’s commandments.
On the 50th day after Christ’s resurrection, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, they “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4), and “every man heard them speak in his own language.” (Acts 2:6), everyone heard their native language wherein they were born (Acts 2:8). All those present then heard that they spoke in their languages about the wonderful works of God (Acts 2: 11). This once again emphasizes the importance of the native language in Church. All other attempts to exalt one language over another, to despise another, etc., come either from ignorance of the Gospel and misunderstanding of God’s instructions, or from deliberate cunning.
Therefore, in the Ukrainian Church, prayer and the word of God sound in the Ukrainian language in order to reach every heart! And also in those languages that are understandable and native to our faithful – Georgian, Romanian, Greek, etc. In languages that are not imposed by force, but that the faithful themselves have chosen to communicate with the Lord in prayer. It is when the language of prayer is clear, and our prayer itself is alive, heartfelt, full of meaning and feelings. That is when the spirit and the mind unite in prayer – and this is true prayer. And then the Church will not be alien and incomprehensible, distant for believers. Then it will not be a strict stepmother in spirit, but a kind mother.
“May the native language live and prosper in the native Church!” wrote the Primate of the OCU.
