Ukraine, Father Taras from Kiev: Patriarch Kirill on war? So absurd it seems fake news “

“When, in the first holy week, Patriarch Kirill approached the head of the Russian guard giving him an icon, and he told him about the successes of the Russian guard towards the Ukrainians, it was so incredible that it seemed like fake news. very surprised. ” This was told to Adnkronos by Father Taras Zheplinsky, from the Communications Department of the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine. “At the beginning of the war, the meeting between the patriarch and the apostolic nuncio in Russia had already surprised me. Kirill said that the Church agreed with the Vatican’s position not to enter the conflict, but in these words I already saw a way to endorse the war “. For the cleric, who is an activist of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, it is not a war of religion but “religion is exploited by the Russians, used as propaganda to strengthen the will to destroy Ukraine – Father Taras sinks – and occupies the land and the people. It is used by the Russian political power. For our part, the political power does not use religion as a propaganda tool “. The 28-year-old parish priest recounts how the position of Patriarch Kirill was taken in Ukraine: “In Ukraine, many communities that belong to the patriarchate are now trying to tell the bishops that perhaps anathema must be done against him – he reveals – Others are moving on to the Ukrainian Orthodox community , others want to eliminate the name of Kirill from the liturgies “.” As for my Church, the Greek – Catholic one, we think that among the churches in Ukraine there is no time to wage wars of religion – he says – So my church favors unity among the churches and we try to collaborate. War is not a period to use to destroy other churches and it is not an occasion to steal faithful from the church of Moscow. If the faithful do not understand the truth of things, it will not bear any fruit. forced passage. So we do not favor it. Instead of stealing the faithful, let’s get together to pray for Ukraine “. On Easter at war, Father Taras stresses:” All of us in Ukraine are experiencing a Pasq ua as we have never experienced it, in a particular, special way. Many people ask themselves questions, we try to answer the faithful and give answers, in the sense that this Easter brings more opportunities for us than problems. “Father Taras explains in what sense:” At this moment, people are also very open to find the true meaning of life in tragedy. They go to church more, they go to the priest, they return to pray, they are open to listening and having the opportunity to observe Christ’s passion and his death, they can see that He is suffering like us. Easter this year for us is the light of hope, which shines also for us Ukrainians. “. (By Ilaria Floris)