Cardinal Hollerich and Rev. Krieger visit refugees and humanitarian workers on the border between Poland and Ukraine

CHURCH

Ukraine: European Church leaders travel to border, appeal for peace

The Presidents of COMECE and CEC issue a special Easter message from the Polish-Ukrainian border, invoking prayers and action for peace.

By Linda Bordoni

In a tangible show of solidarity with the people under attack in Ukraine and with the millions fleeing the violence, the Presidents of the EU Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences (COMECE) and the President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) travelled to the Ukrainian-Polish border calling for prayers and action for peace.

“Let us continue to pray and work for justice, reconciliation and peace between people, cultures, nations.”

This is the message at the heart of the appeal issued by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ and Rev. Christian Krieger.

Their cry came in a special joint Easter message from the border which has seen over two million Ukrainian refugees being welcomed into Poland since the beginning of the war.

Most of them are women and children who have fled alone, leaving their husbands, brothers and fathers to fight the invader.

Cardinal Hollerich and Rev. Krieger talk to volunteers at the Polish-Ukrainian border

The two Presidents said were “touched by the human tragedy reflected in the eyes of the refugees they have encountered during their visit.”

They expressed gratitude to all humanitarian workers, volunteers, national and religious authorities for the concrete solidarity put into place to welcome and support people who have lost everything due to war.

“The Paschal mystery of Christ takes us to the heart of injustice, violence and suffering.”

They say in their message, adding that “The story of Christ’s passion and death echoes human suffering and tragedies experienced in many parts of our world, not least by Ukrainians in their own country and wherever the roads of exile have taken them.”

“In Christ, God joins our humanity, taking upon himself our limitations and our hatred, transforming our impasses, our indignation, our feelings of fatality and despair into hope through trust in him. This transformation takes place within the human being and in the world that God loves.”

This Easter, COMECE and CEC call on everyone:

“To continue to believe in the horizon that God's grace, manifested in Christ, opens before our eyes.”

During their visit to Poland, Cardinal Hollerich and Rev. Krieger visited local churches from various confessions, receiving information about their humanitarian projects and efforts to welcome refugees to the country.