ugcc.org.ua - It was said by the Father and the Head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav on this day, April 13, at the great feast of Christ's Church - Palm Sunday, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. Bishop Joseph (Milyan) coserved with His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
Today is the day when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. The Primate said that this day is described in the Scripture. Jesus Christ six days before dying in Jerusalem, and rising on the third day, triumphantly entered the city. He was sung "Hosanna in the highest".
"Today, people greet Christ, saying: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel. Just in a few days incited by other ideologists, they will cry: ”Crucify him!”. And just for today’s praising they will condemn him to death", - said the Preacher.
"If , - the Head of the Church reckons - like Jewish children, we accept Jesus Christ today as our personal Savior, then we can be assured, we can radically change our lives. That salvation, and the power from on high, which is now in Christ enters Jerusalem will go down in our hearts, in our lives. And if we, waiting for our Savior, don’t accept Him into our souls, our lives, we can always stay in the darkness of anxiety, disappointment and never be able to get the gift of salvation".
Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. "How specially these words sound in the ears of Ukrainians today. Perhaps, today, when we are filled with anxiety, we are getting the different messages from Eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk region, where the anti-terrorist operation in Slovyans’k is going on ... How much anxiety today our nation has!" - Said the Head of the UGCC.
He noted that maybe someone feels distant from God. He thinks that God has forsaken his people. "But no, He is coming to us today, He is entering into Kyiv, which is the "new Jerusalem"- stressed His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Archbishop greeted the believers and people of good will on the occasion, wished blessed Easter time. Especially the Preacher congratulated the youth, as our Church today celebrates Youth Day.
His Beatitude also paid believers’ attention to the choir that sang on Palm Sunday in the cathedral. It was an English choir "Bulava"(“Mace”) that specially came from London to sing the Liturgy and give a concert to the 200th anniversary of Kobzar.
At the end of the Liturgy His Beatitude Sviatoslav and Bishop Joseph blessed willow branches that were brought by the faithful.
UGCC Department of Information