Kharkiv Bishop: Church helps people in Ukraine preserve their dignity

By Svitlana Dukhovych

Almost every day since the beginning of the war, on 24 February 2022, the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been attacked by Russian missiles.

Many residents have fled, but many more still remain, either because they do not want to leave their homes or because they do not want to leave their elderly and sick relatives.

In an interview with Vatican News, Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk, bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia of the Latins, talks about the difficulties people are experiencing in these circumstances, how the Church is helping them, and ecumenical dialogue in wartime.

Constant danger and tension

"Our city is subject to constant, sudden, and destructive bombardment. About a week ago, two rockets fell here in the centre of the city, knocking down residential buildings and part of the hospital," says the 42-year-old bishop.

He explains that, unlike before, when the Russians used to launch missiles at night, lately they have been bombing in the evening when there are still people in the streets.

"This situation creates a sense of tension and danger," the bishop notes, "and when the psyche is constantly in this state, you not only start to feel tired but exhausted. When you are tired, you can rest, but when you are exhausted, it is very difficult to find the resources to recover."

The bishop says this constant tension also affects the quality of perception and, consequently, the quality of communication between people, which is why misunderstandings can sometimes lead to aggressive reactions.

“We live under a lot of pressure,” Bishop Honcharuk continues, “it's one thing when a person lives alone, but when they have someone they have to take care of, be it children, a spouse, parents, or someone else, it's even heavier. Fatigue sets in; it is very difficult, very dangerous, and even tragic. We often see a beautiful apartment building where only yesterday someone lived and where the lights were on, which then, the next day, is destroyed and covered in snow. When I walk past such a building, completely empty and silent, the impression is very strong. It is as if it were a sign of death.”

Pavlo Honcharuk, Bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia of the Latins

The Church: a lighthouse on the seashore

The Bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia emphasises that the presence of the Church in these circumstances is extremely important.

"It is like a lighthouse on the seashore; it must be a sign of light, indicating where to look for support and strength, where there is a source where one can be refreshed. This source is the Lord Jesus; He feeds the soul and nourishes the inner sense of our identity," says Bishop Honcharuk. "This is very important, because external crises, injustice, pain and death wound the foundations of one's identity and one's sense of self as a human being. On the other hand, encountering Jesus Christ, receiving the Holy Sacraments, or even just being in church to pray, strengthens this inner sense of one's worth as a person, who can also find in it a resource to overcome the difficulties and obstacles he or she encounters."

“The Church," continues the bishop, “helps people preserve and rediscover their identity as human beings, as individuals, and gives them the strength to move forward, to defend and serve their neighbour. Therefore, the Church's presence among people who suffer is very important and valuable.”

Ecumenical dialogue in times of war

Since the first day of the Russian invasion, the Church in Ukraine has been helping people to recover their spiritual and psychological strength, while also providing concrete support to those in need of basic necessities, shelter, food, clothing, shelter from the cold, etc.

This mission unites different Christian denominations that, despite difficult circumstances, continue to strive for unity.

Since 2015, representatives of the different confessions in Kharkiv have participated in the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. 

Usually, on that occasion, they take turns praying in the city's churches. This year, marked by war, was no exception. Unlike previous years, however, the initiative lasted only three days, because some representatives of the Churches left the city.

Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk describes the prayer meetings in the Greek-Catholic cathedral, then in the Roman-Catholic cathedral and in the Lutheran church.

"In the difficulties we are experiencing, this unity and openness translates into a space for mutual help," he emphasises. 

In addition to the joint prayer meetings, he concludes, collaboration between the confessions also takes place in the field of humanitarian aid, where "all divisions are erased," because it has been made clear that "we have to help people, and we have to help our country defend itself."