Patr. Bartholomew Prays for Ukrainians Separated by War

ISTANBUL — Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew marked Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence on Aug. 24 with an address at the historic Church of St. Nicholas in Cibali, emphasizing prayer for Ukrainians suffering from the war and hope for a peaceful future.

Speaking to the Ukrainian-speaking Orthodox community, the Patriarch said Christian remembrance means more than recalling the past. “Today, we do not simply remember thirty-five years. We remember people,” he said, referring to generations of Ukrainians, including those killed, displaced, separated from their families, or forced to leave their homeland.

Patr. Bartholomew gave particular attention to families waiting for prisoners of war and others separated from loved ones. “You are not forgotten. And those for whom you wait are not forgotten,” he said, assuring them that the Mother Church of Constantinople remembers them and brings them before God in prayer.

The Patriarch also recalled his 2021 visit to Kyiv and expressed hope that he would return once the war has ended. He connected Ukraine’s 35 years of independence with his own 35 years on the Ecumenical Throne, calling the coincidence a sign of God’s providential guidance.

Concluding with prayers for Ukraine’s dead, wounded, displaced, prisoners, captives, and abducted children, Patr. Bartholomew spoke of Christian hope amid suffering. “We do not know how long the night will last. But we are sure that, by the grace of God, the morning will come,” he said.

Patr. Bartholomew's full address can be found here.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God is a bridge between Orthodox Ukraine and America.