Military chaplains resume worship Krymske church near battle lines

Date 2017/10/23 23:37:40 | Topic: Culture

Fr. Kuzio: “I am going closer to the frontline, so that the war comes to an end sooner, and I believe that today's prayer, and the prayers that priests are lifting throughout Ukraine, will bring peace and consent to our state.”

 

 


From RISU, Oct 20, 2017

 

In the front-line village of Krymske, Luhansk region, military chaplains resumed constant worship in the local church. The previous rector fled from the village when the shelling began. Since then the temple remained closed. Last week the Divine Liturgy was resumed, but on Thursday, October 19, a wedding ceremony, which was visited by the correspondent of Channel 5, was held for the first time.

 

The service is led by Fr Pavlo Kuzio, a military captain of the UOC-KP from Konotop.

 

He says: “When people ask me in Konotop about what I still lacked - the cathedral, the community, I say I am going closer to the frontline, so that the war comes to an end sooner, and I believe that today's prayer, and the prayers that priests are lifting throughout Ukraine, will bring peace and consent to our state.”

 

The locals were delighted by the arrival of clergymen. They even found accommodation for them, so that the service was performed as it was before the war - according to the schedule. On Thursday, the first wedding was held in the temple. Yuriy and Iryna are military. They got acquainted last year during the defense of Avdiyivka. A month ago, during the holidays, they officially got married in Sumy region. They had a church wedding in Krymsle, where they are now serving together.

 

The chaplains say they will serve in the temple while their unit defends Krymske. Then, they hope, their successors will take care of the temple.

 

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*The article above appears through courtesy of the Religious Information Service of Ukraine. Access RISU at http://risu.org.ua/en/index

 

 





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