UOC lifts prayers for killed in Afghan war

December 25, on the 37-th anniversary of the introduction of the Soviet troops into the Republic of Afghanistan, commemoration services for the dead, who took part in the hostilities, were held in the churches of the UOC and at the memorials to soldiers killed in the war, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

With the blessing of the Chancellor of the UOC, Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, First vice-rector of KTA&S Archpriest Sergiy Yuschik held a memorial service for all the repose who participated in military operations in Afghanistan at the memorial to fallen soldiers in Kiev.

The mourning ceremony was attended by members of the Ukrainian society of Afghanistan, as well as relatives and friends of the victims. After the service, all participants laid flowers at the memorial to soldiers who died in Afghanistan.
On December 25, Metropolitan Luka of Zaporozhye and Melitopol prayed for the souls of those killed during the military conflict in Afghanistan.

"For each name of an Orthodox Christian, commemorated by our Church today are tens, hundreds of human lives, – said His Grace. –Now there are voices that they died in vain, that their death was senseless. What can the mother hear such words? The Lord teaches us mercy. To do this, we have the most powerful weapon – a double-edged sword, our prayer. "

"Their sacrifice was not in vain. They gave their young lives, exercising the highest integrity, loyalty to the oath for service, courage and heroism. They set models for the current generation to follow. Today, the souls of the soldiers need our prayers more than ever. They could not in their time openly professed Christ; they came to Him through tears and pain, through death, through the examples of self-sacrifice, love, endurance, heroism and comradely mutual support. Afghanistan reminds all now living, that there is nothing more valuable than human life, children's laughter, peaceful and blue sky over your head," concluded the Archbishop.