Message from Aid to the Church in Need on the power of spiritual support to the Church in Ukraine

Dear Friends,

Thanks to you, Aid to the Church in Need has stood with the faithful in Ukraine for many years. Please will you remember those whom we continue to help in your prayers at this crucial time.

The situation in Ukraine has now escalated to violence and bloodshed, but I write to you to relay Auxiliary Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk’s personal request in a telephone call to ACN, asking us to pray for peace in Ukraine and expressing his gratitude, on behalf of the people, for our solidarity at this time.

Bishop Stanislav brought us news that every day at 3pm the rosary is being said. He also told us that on Wednesday night the Statue of Our Lady of Fatima was removed from one of the chapel tents on Maidan Square just five minutes before it burnt down during the general fighting. So the statue was saved and is still there. The Bishop said: “It is a sign of hope for us”.

In a further communication today, upon hearing the news of the announcement of early elections, Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki expressed his hope that “On these victims, on this blood that was shed, will grow democracy”. The Archbishop stated: “We are experiencing a great solidarity with the faithful not only from the neighbouring countries, but also from the whole world. So many are supporting us with their prayers, by remembering us and also through humanitarian aid. These gestures of solidarity are very important and dear to us.”

Please stand in solidarity as we all pray that a solution is reached that will bring true freedom and lasting peace to Ukraine.

Yours in Christ



Neville Kyrke-Smith

UK National Director