The Estonian Council of Churches sent a letter to the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) expressing its support for the Ukrainian people and the UCCRO on the occasion of the 1000th day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The letter also includes assurances of prayers for Ukraine and effective solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
In response, the UCCRO sent a letter of gratitude to the Estonian Council of Churches.
Below are the letters of the Estonian Council of Churches and the UCCRO:
Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations 19.11.2024, nr 1-10.2/217
Dear suffering people of Ukraine and members and representatives of the Council of Churches and Religious Organizations,
Recent years have been a time of severe trials and suffering for you. Soon, it will mark 1000 days since the beginning of Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine and its people. The hostilities have forced millions of people to flee their homes and homeland, and many have lost their loved ones, both civilians and defenders of the Motherland. The hostilities have inflicted immense pain, tears, and destruction upon the entire Ukrainian population, affecting individuals from all faiths.
Christians in Estonia have been praying for Ukraine since the first day of the full-scale war on February 24, 2022. That day, representatives of the member churches of the Council of Churches of Estonia gathered for an ecumenical prayer service to celebrate the Independence Day of the Republic of Estonia, which took on a different tone in light of the events unfolding in Ukraine. In a joint statement of the Council of Churches of Estonia, we condemned the war and called on our fellow citizens to pray.
As a community of Estonian Christians, we would like to assure you that we continue to pray for you. We pray for a just peace, both in worship and personal prayers. We pray for those who are mourning and for those who have been forced to leave their homes. We pray that in these difficult times, you will feel that “the Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18). We pray that you will find comfort and strength in God's grace.
We would also like to assure you of our ongoing commitment to help and support the war refugees who have arrived in Estonia. Our churches are open to those in need, our pastors and pastoral caregivers are prepared to offer spiritual support. We are also ready to provide any other possible assistance to war refugees. We are guided by the words of our Savior Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John (13:20): “Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
Together with you, we pray and wait for the end of the horrors of war. May the Almighty God bless and keep you! Amen.
On behalf of the member churches of the Estonian Council of Churches,
Archbishop Urmas Viilma
President of the Estonian Council of Churches
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To His Eminence Archbishop Urmas Viilma
President of the Estonian Council of Churches
Dear Archbishop Urmas,
We sincerely thank you and all the Estonian Council of Churches members for your kind, heartfelt letter, support, and constant prayers for Ukraine and its people. Your unwavering support in these difficult times is invaluable to us. Your prayers and willingness to help war refugees are a living testimony to the mercy and love you show toward our people. Your sincere prayers for a just peace and for everyone who has suffered loss and pain bring us great comfort. As members and representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, we would like to express our deep gratitude for your effective solidarity and support in these difficult times. May the Lord bless you, your religious communities, and all those assisting our compatriots forced to leave their homes.
Together, we pray and actively work for a swift end to the war and a just peace.
May God grant us all the strength and hope to endure these trials. Amen!
Sincerely yours
Dr. Hryhorii Komendant
Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations Chairman,
President of Ukrainian Bible Society