Ukrainian Catholic Eparch of Edmonton Bishop David and concelebrating clergy kneel during the Act of Consecration at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Edmonton. Photo: Marco Levytsky
Act of Consecration first called for by the Holy Mother of God in Fatima.
NP-UN/RISU.
On March 25, on the Feast Day of the Annunciation, Catholics around the world joined His Holiness Pope Francis in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the hope that peace will reign.
“Mother of God and our mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine,” the Pope said after leading a Lenten penance service.
The bishops of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, joined the Pope from the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia.
They prayed simultaneously in the church in front of the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia in communion with the Holy Father and the whole world via live broadcast, reports the UGCC Department of Information and the Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU).
The Act of Consecration on behalf of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was read by His Beatitude Sviatoslav in communion with the Holy Father in Zarvanytsia.
Appealing to the faithful after the consecration, the Head of the UGCC emphasized the historic significance of this moment: “Each of you will tell your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that it was a moment of victory; the moment, when we put the destiny of Ukraine into the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary”.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav added that the war that Russia is waging today against Ukraine is a spiritual struggle between good and evil. And the consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the moment when we believe that good will win through the prayers of the Mother of God.
The Head of the UGCC explained what it means to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “Russia was entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary because the Mother of God asked for this act to be made, since from that land evil would spread throughout the world and destroy nations, bring suffering to people. We are praying for our enemies so that the Lord stops their murderous hand. And here, in Zarvanytsia, in communion with the Holy Father, we entrusted our Ukraine to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Her Immaculate Heart, because we know that today She, the Mother of God, is with Ukraine, with our suffering people.”
“Today, our destiny is in safe mother’s hands”, added His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the Church thanked the bishops of the UGCC who gathered in Zarvanytsia for this historic event, adding that they were especially united with Most Rev. Vasyl Tuchapets, Bishop in Kharkiv, Most Rev. Stepan Menko, Bishop in Zaporizhia, and Most Rev. Mykhailo Bubniy, Bishop in Odesa. We were uniting, he said, with our bishops around the world, in our settlements in Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, and with Catholic bishops around the globe.
“Today we feel that the whole world is with us. Thank you all for participating in this historic event today… Our gratitude flows to the Holy Father Francis, with whom we experienced these unique moments”, the Primate said.
After the Act of Consecration, the Head of the UGCC together with the bishops of the Synod of Bishops conducted a traditional rosary prayer from Zarvanytsia.
The Act of Consecration was first called for by the Holy Mother of God in her appearance before three Portuguese children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta at Fatima on July 13, 1917.
“If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world,” said the Holy Mother.
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