Meeting on the 8th National Day of Prayer for Ukraine, churches in the country are praying for the complete defeat of Russia, according to the Kyiv-based representative of David Hathaway’s Eurovision organisation.
“No-one expressed any readiness, any sign of readiness to compromise on our people and our land”, declared Ukrainian Vadim Preobrazhenskyi of Eurovision Mission to Europe, the mission agency led by David Hathaway.
“Ukraine is advancing and gradually, day by day, metre by metre, we liberate our land. And it's a big encouragement to us that right now we are getting back even some land, which was occupied back in 2014. It's quite an unusual situation, because we have unprecedented unity in the nation”, he told Premier Christian Radio from the capital Kyiv.
He was speaking as the Pope's peace envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visits Moscow in the search for peace. It is the first trip to Russia by a senior Vatican official since the invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
President Putin's spokesman said Russia values "the efforts of the Vatican" and the Pope's desire to help end "the conflict." Russia's foreign affairs advisor will meet the Cardinal. But it's not thought he'll have talks with Putin himself.
Mr Preobrazhenskyi said the Day of Prayer for Ukraine was held in Bucha on 10 June, the location of the fiercest battles in the first 40 days of Russia’s invasion for which President Putin stands indicted of crimes against humanity.
It began with a minute of silence in honour of all those who have died in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. David Hathaway, a British evangelist who proposed the idea of a National Day of Prayer for Ukraine, then gave the address.
“All the Christian confessions came together in Bucha, this site of atrocities”, commented Mr Preobrazhenskyi. “So many people came and they were absolutely hungry for the Holy Spirit”, he said.
The prayer meeting coincided with Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive and brought together thousands from all over Ukraine in a Sports Hall that was occupied in the first days of the war. Its restoration was completed only days before the event.
“It was very sincere prayers from one big Ukrainian heart for God's total victory for Ukraine and for liberation of all Ukrainian land”, Mr Preobrazhenskyi continued. “Our people who right now have to live on temporary occupied territories, we are not ready to sacrifice them”, he said.
Contributions and prayers were given from spiritual leaders, including representatives of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and other Christian organizations.
“We are not ready to compromise on any single Ukrainian”, Mr Preobrazhenskyi added. “We are paying with our lives and with our blood, and it's not something we are going to trade now. We need back our land and then we will be absolutely satisfied”, he proclaimed.
