In an independence day message, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said that “each of us bears responsibility for our present and our future, especially now that we must defend this independence, taking up arms if necessary.”
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said on August 24 that Ukraine’s government has the “responsibility to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land. It is the responsibility to rid ourselves of everything that destroys us from within, such as corruption.”
“Today we are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our heroes of the present, who—both on the front lines and in the rear—are ensuring that our homeland remains free, united, and independent,” the prelate added. “Let us pray, remember, give thanks, and continue our work.”