In June 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia blessed Orthodox Christians to pray for peace and prosperity in a fraternal state. Four years have passed since then, much has changed, but the parting words of the Patriarch are still relevant. The civil strife in Ukraine is not over, the ATO troops still bring devastation and grief to the civilians of Donbass.
To all this, another misfortune was added - a split. The President of the country Petro Poroshenko asked the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to provide the country with a tomos on the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church. The Bishop of Constantinople did not refuse, appointing two exarchs.
Patriarch Bartholomew is under the influence of the US, and this is a known fact. In recent years, Americans have been getting closer to Russian borders, scenarios of color revolutions are constantly being written, NATO military bases are being built in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The people become a bargaining chip in big political games, for this the propaganda machine works.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed the flock with a heartfelt speech on this event, urging them to spare no effort in prayer for peace in Ukraine. Terrible events are taking place in the former Soviet granary, comparable to the persecution of the Orthodox Church in Soviet Russia:
“They are trying to involve the Ukrainian church in a deep conflict that divides society, and make it a hostage of this conflict … There are violent seizures of churches, court decisions are ignored, a slanderous information campaign is being conducted against the church, bills are proposed in the Ukrainian parliament, the purpose of which is to discriminate and put the country's largest religious community in the most difficult conditions… Our Church will never leave its brothers in Ukraine in trouble and will not abandon them. We will never agree to a change in the sacred canonical boundaries of our Church, for Kyiv is the spiritual cradle of Holy Russia, like Mtskheta for Georgia or Kosovo for Serbia”
Also, the primate asked the Orthodox to read the following prayer for an agreement on peace in Ukraine:
Lord Jesus Christ our God, look with Your merciful eye on sorrow and the painful cry of Your children, living in the land of Ukrainians.
Deliver Your people from internecine strife, quench the bloodshed, avert the underlying troubles. Bring the homeless into homes, nourish the hungry, weeping comforts, the divided community.
Do not leave Your flock, from your relatives in the embitterment of those who exist, decrease, but soon reconciliation, as if generously grant. Soften hardened hearts and turn to Your knowledge. WorldGive to Thy Church and to her faithful children, and with one heart and one mouth we glorify Thee, our Lord and Savior forever and ever.
Amen.
Appeal of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
More than two years ago, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry initiated the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession in the name of love and peace. He also urged to read a special prayer for peace in Ukraine. Its text is as follows:
Vladyka Almighty, Lord, many-merciful, accept our kneeling prayers and our humble tears, brought before Your Holy Altar in this time of trouble and sorrow of Your people, accept the intercession of all our holy relatives, whom we now call for help and intercession, so that the light Thy love, revealed on Thy Cross, enlightened every suffering person in this world, in the darkness of enmity and iniquity.
Receive the intercession of the holy and blessed Prince Vladimir, the baptist and enlightener of our land; accept the prayer of the martyrs Saints Boris and Gleb, who teach you not to raise your hand against your brother; accept the intercession of your saints Anthony and Theodosius and with them all the reverend men and women, who whitened their souls with tears of repentance more than snow; accept the deeds of the new martyrs and confessors, who through their suffering have preserved the saving faith in Thee for us; accept the petitions of all the saints of Your Church, who have sanctified our land with their labors. First of all, accept the prayerful Protection of Your Most Holy Mother, Our Lady of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, by Her shameless intercessionYour people have been delivered many times from all enmity and internecine strife.
and discord in our power, as you are the only good and humane our God, and to you we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ
Also, the Patriarch always calls to pray to Jesus Christ, as he is always ready to help people. Prayer text:
Lord Lover of mankind, King of the ages and Giver of the good, who destroyed the enmity of the mediastinum and gave peace to the human race, grant now peace to Your servants, root Your fear in them and affirm love for each other: quench all strife, take away all disagreements and temptations. Like you are our peace and we send glory to you, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Amen.
To the Most Holy Lady
The Most Holy Theotokos never refused to help people, you can refer to her with these words:
Soften our evil hearts, Mother of God, and quench the misfortunes of those who hate us, and resolve all the narrowness of our soul. Looking at Your holy image, we are moved by Your suffering and mercy for us and kiss Your wounds, but our arrows, which torment You, are horrified. Do not give us, merciful Mother, in our hardness of heart and from the hardness of our neighbors, you are truly evilHearts Softening.
Prayer for peace in Ukraine to the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb:
Oh, holy couple, beautiful brethren, good martyrs Boris and Glebe, from youth serving Christ by faith, purity and love, and with their blood, as if purple, adorned, and now reigning with Christ! Do not forget us who are on earth, but like a warm intercessor, by your strong intercession before Christ God, keep the young in holy faith and purity, unharmed from every pretense of unbelief and impurity, protect us all from all sorrow, bitterness and vain death, tame all enmity and malice raised up by the action of the devil from neighbors and strangers. We beseech you, passion-bearers of Christ, ask the Greatly Gifted Lord for all of us to forgive our sins, unanimity and he alth, deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, internecine strife, ulcers and famine. Supply with your intercession (listed: country, city) and all who honor your holy memory, forever and ever.
Amen.
Why do we need this?
The Orthodox Church is a single organism. When a person injures a finger, he tries to heal the wound, consults a doctor, takes medicines and painkillers. When it hurts, all the usual things fade into the background.
Also in the Church. Now in Ukraine there are more and more persecutions of Orthodox people. Temples are burned, shrines are destroyed, clergy are outlawed. Our "body" is cut off the "hand". Therefore, the Orthodox of the whole world, who are in the "body" of the Church, cannot stand aside and do not get tired.say a prayer for peace in Ukraine
Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian for the return of peaceful times:
Where do I run from You, our Lord? In what country will I hide from Your face? Heaven is Your Throne, earth is Your footstool, in the sea is Your way, in the afterlife is Your dominion. If the end of the world is near, then it will not be without Your bounty.
You know, Lord, that our iniquities are great. And we know that Your mercies are great. If Your mercies do not propitiate You, we perish for our iniquities. Do not leave us, Lord, Lord, because we have eaten Your Flesh and Blood.
When the deeds of everyone will be tested before You, Lord of all, in this last time, Lord, do not turn away Your face from those who confessed Your holy name. Father, Son and Soul, Holy Comforter! Save us and save our souls!
We implore Your goodness, Lord, forgive us our guilt, despise our iniquities, open the door of Your bounties to us, Lord! May times of peace come to us, and according to Your mercies, graciously accept our prayer, because for those who repent, Lord, You open the door.
Russia already saw this terrible scenario in 1937. For the mass extermination of clergy, the destruction of temples and monasteries, for the desecration of shrines, the Nazis came to us. In this war, we have become less than 27 million people. Official data says that the losses among the military amounted to almost 12 million, the civilian population - more than 13. Death came from starvation, disease, deliberate extermination, captivity,shelling and lack of medical care.
By the end of the war, the Soviet Union had become impoverished by 30% of national we alth. Those who survived had it even worse: the country was rebuilding cities and villages at an accelerated pace. Women, children and teenagers, veterans helped rise from the ashes like a phoenix bird.
Similar events are developing today in the fraternal state. First, the revolution, Maidan with such a familiar slogan: "Power to the people, land to the peasants." Now the extermination of the Orthodox clergy and parishioners. Already, nationalist sentiments are prevalent in the country, rallies and torchlight processions are gathering. What's next? Another Great Patriotic War, only now with the Slav brothers? Let us pray for peace in Ukraine and throughout the planet, following the advice of the Patriarch. Help us, Lord!
