Speech by Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok on the Occasion of the third anniversary of full-scale war in Ukraine

Speech on the Occasion of the third anniversary of full-scale war in Ukraine
St. Mary’s Cathedral Square, Sydney
24 February 2025

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Brothers and Sisters

The war in Ukraine began eleven years ago. The full-scale invasion three years ago. Every day in different cities and villages Ukrainians bury young men and women who teach us to love sacrificially by giving their lives for their neighbours.

Every night Ukrainians are woken by the sounds of air raid sirens and flying drones, missiles and bombs. Taking children in their arms and running out to a shelter. Every morning Ukrainians reach for phones and call to make sure that everything is okay with our relatives and friends. But, despite this horror, as our Patriarch says, “Ukraine stands, Ukraine fights, Ukraine prays.”

Ukraine stands because it feels the support from people all over the world who remain faithful to the truth and humanity, helping us to alleviate our suffering.

Ukraine fights because it lives by the hope that we see in the eyes of young defenders. Being a fragile virtue, this hope is able to endure and carry us through the greatest difficulties and hellish trials.

Ukraine prays because it believes in victory and a just peace that exceed earthly expectations, because our Lord God acts as our defender.

Faith in God and victory motivate us to unity. In this today, we see our strength and resilience against the russian enemy, which is 28 times larger in territory and 4–5 times larger in population. We stand in solidarity with Ukraine, we support each other, and serve our neighbours with our gifts.

We are all called to play our part to help Ukraine to victory and a just peace. Your presence here today will be felt in Ukraine, it will strengthen Ukraine to keep the faith in God and in itself. It will show Ukraine that despite the rantings and lies that are now being spread that truth and decency will prevail.

We Ukrainians, like no one else, yearn for peace. We have been praying for it for eleven years and believe that one day it will be restored. But not a peace that is a surrender to evil, not a compromise with the injustice that has been done, but a peace that is based on truth.

The truth is, that an international crime has been committed against Ukraine: one country attacked another without any reason. The truth will only come when peace is based on international law and human rights. Ultimately, achieving this truth is our duty to those innocent victims and the dead defenders who fought for freedom and truth.

Let us now offer a prayer for peace:

God of peace, your prophet Isaiah promised swords would be turned into ploughshares, and your Son’s mother, Mary, proclaimed the mighty would be put down and the humble exalted: visit the people of Ukraine; deliver them from fear, violence, attack, injury, destruction, death; and give them courage, solidarity and allies in their hour of vulnerability and sorrow. Turn the hearts of those bent on war and invasion. Strengthen the hand of all seeking to halt conflict, restore order, and pursue justice and truth. Make this moment of peril an occasion for your Holy Spirit to show your world the cost of conflict and our dependence on one another. In Christ our Lord, who is our peace. Amen.

Let us now pray together the Our Father as Christ Our Saviour taught us. Our Father…

We remember those who have died in this war, the brave defenders of Ukraine, the innocent victims of evil aggression. May their memory be everlasting.

Grant blessed repose, O Lord, to the souls of your servants the defenders of Ukraine and all victims of war who have fallen asleep, and make their memory everlasting!

Eternal memory!