On May 22, 2024, within the framework of an advocacy visit to Brazil, a delegation of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) held meetings with religious leaders in Rio de Janeiro.
In the morning, Ukrainian clergymen participated in the “Churches Pray for Justice and Peace” event at the Presbyterian Evangelical Cathedral. The event was attended by representatives of various Christian churches in Rio de Janeiro.
Ukrainian religious leaders told the Brazilian ministers the truth about the terrible war waged by Russia against Ukraine and the incredible suffering of the Ukrainian people, including children and civilians, about the heroism of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, about the spiritual and humanitarian work of Ukrainian churches during the war, the crimes of the Russian military against humanity and the persecution of churches, arrests, torture and murder of Ukrainian priests in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Particularly poignant were the personal stories of Ukrainian pastors Oleksandr Pavenko and Oleksandr Babiychuk, who with God's help endured the captivity and murder of their children.
In his speech on behalf of the entire delegation, Pastor Ivan Rusyn, the President of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary, stated:
“We are here to testify to you that Russia's actions go beyond capturing and destroying cities; they are an attempt to annihilate the Ukrainian people, their freedom, and identity. It is not just a war - it is genocide, which includes the forced deportation of Ukrainian children and civilians to Russia. Taking this opportunity, we urge Brazilian religious leaders and representatives of the Brazilian government to continue caring for Ukrainian refugees and to support Ukraine in its just struggle for freedom and in its quest for a just peace, in particular through Brazil's participation in the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.”
The event at the Presbyterian Church concluded with a joint prayer by the representatives of the Brazilian and Ukrainian churches for Ukraine and the establishment of a just peace on Ukrainian land.
In memory of this meeting, the UCCRO delegation presented the Presbyterian Church of Rio de Janeiro with a children's drawing and a doll representing a Ukrainian woman embracing her child.
At the invitation of the Cardinal of the local Roman Catholic Archdiocese, Orani João Tempesta, the UCCRO delegation met with the cardinal and his auxiliary bishops. During the meeting, Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetsky and Chairman of the IRF Board Oleksandr Zaiets told Cardinal Orani João Tempesta about the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian people caused by the Russian aggression, about the bombing and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and also about Russia's crimes in the religious field of Ukraine.
After the meeting, UCCRO representatives gave an interview to the Archdiocese's TV channel.
At the end of the program in Rio de Janeiro, the UCCRO delegation visited the Statue of Christ the Savior and, on the evening of May 22, arrived in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.
Also, recall that within the framework of the advocacy visit to Brazil, the delegation of the Council of Churches previously visited and held meetings in the cities of São Paulo (May 20) and Curitiba (May 21). The visit of the UCCRO delegation to Brazil is supported by the Brazilian Bible Society.