This year’s Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation is especially painful for our Nation. Today our Nation is fully experiencing the enormity of war and the power of evil. Armed operations aimed at destroying entire cities along with their inhabitants is a crime against God and humanity, stressed the President of the Ukrainian Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Vitaliy Skomarowskyi, in a Message to the faithful marking the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, held in Ukraine on May 8. The event celebrates the conclusion of World War II.
Bishop Vitaliy Skomarowskyi indicated that although “it would seem that the atrocities of World War II should never be repeated”, today, when celebrating an anniversary of its conclusion, the Ukrainian nation “is fully experiencing the enormity of war and the power of evil”.
Bishop Skomarowskyi referred to a statement made by St. John Paul II, who called World War II “a singular demonstration of hatred that, in the name of imperialist ideology, destroyed human beings and everything human”.
Recalling the recent words of Pope Francis, Bishop Skomarovsky called actions aimed at destroying entire cities along with their inhabitants a crime against God and humanity. “War must be decisively and unambiguously condemned”, stressed the President of the Ukrainian Bishops’ Conference.
“It is difficult to move on with the burden of this terrible suffering of the individuals and the Nation. Christ’s cross on Calvary is our sole point of reference. May this cross give us strength and inspiration in all our trials and tribulations”, wrote Bishop Skomarowskyi in his message.
On the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, the Bishop of Lutsk encouraged Ukrainian Catholics to pray for all the victims of World War II and all who have perished at the hands of the Russian aggressor.
In conclusion, the President of the Ukrainian Bishops’ Conference entrusted to the Holy Virgin Mary the future of the nation, the end of the war, and the advent of the long-awaited and fair peace.
Until 2015, Ukraine celebrated the end of World War II on the same day as Russia, May 9. In 2015, the Ukrainian Parliament shifted the celebration to May 8, establishing a Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation.
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Full text of the Message:
President of the Ukrainian Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Vitaliy Skomarowskyi
Dear Priests and Consecrated Persons!
Beloved Brothers and Sisters!
This year’s celebration of May 8 Day is especially painful for our Nation since war is taking place on Ukrainian soil. It would seem that the atrocities of World War II should never be repeated. However, today our Nation is fully experiencing the enormity of war and the power of evil.
Saint John Paul II said that World War II revealed an unprecedented scale of human neglect and human rights violations. It was a singular demonstration of hatred that, in the name of imperialist ideology, destroyed human beings and everything human. The Pontiff’s idea was echoed by Holy Father Francis, who called the armed operations aimed at destroying entire cities and large territories along with their inhabitants a crime against God and humanity. War must be decisively and unambiguously condemned.
It is difficult to move on with the burden of this terrible suffering of the people and the Nation. Christ’s cross on Calvary is our sole point of reference. May this cross give us strength and inspiration in all our trials and tribulations.
Let us pray today especially for all the victims of World War II and all those who died at the hands of the Russian aggressor.
We entrust to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom May is especially dedicated and to whose Heart our nation is entrusted, our future fate, the end of the war, and the advent of the long-awaited and fair peace.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
