March 7, 2014 16:53
A Ukrainian priest and academic in Wales has praised church leaders in the troubled state who’ve been calling for justice in their country. As politicians from around the world discuss ways of bringing peace there, churches have continued to hold all night prayer vigils. During the protests and violence in Kiev before the President stood down, churches opened their buildings to be used as hospitals or places of respite while prayer tents were put up in Independence Square. With the developments in Crimea the churches have continued to speak out.
The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church released this statement on its website earlier this week: “In this difficult time with military units of the Russian Federation, violating international and bilateral agreements…we, first of all call all of you and all the people of the good will to show solidarity with us, to pray for Ukraine. We call on the Russian authorities to come to their senses and stop its aggression against Ukraine, and immediately pull out Russian troops from the Ukrainian land. All the responsibility before God and mankind for irreparable consequences fully falls on the leadership of Russia.”
Father James Siemens is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest and honorary Research Fellow of Religious Studies at Cardiff University:
He’s been speaking on Premier’s News Hour to Des Busteed. Listen to the interview here:
Ukrainian churches praised as crisis continues | Premier.org.uk, Current News