We have witnessed the heroism of ordinary people in these days. We mourn the victims of the rocket attack in Kharkiv. Yesterday, however, we saw the residents of Berdyansk drive armed forces out of their city with bare hands while chanting "Berdyansk is Ukraine" […] Indeed, the words of Christ are being fulfilled: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." We see that what prevails is not hatred, but love. Love gives birth to heroes, hatred gives birth to criminals. Therefore, I want to encourage everyone to learn to love in this tragic time. Let us not allow hatred to take control of us, let us not use its language and words. Folk wisdom says that whoever hates their enemy has already been defeated by them. We will triumph with the strength of love for our homeland, for God, and for our neighbors.
(Svyatoslav Shevchuk, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archbishop of Kyiv, March 1, 2022)
