APPEAL

of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to Religious Leaders, Clergy, Religious Communities, and Believers Around the World Regarding the Global Prayer for Ukraine on August 24, 2026

Dear Religious Leaders and Spiritual Guides,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), which brings together various Christian Churches as well as Jewish and Muslim religious associations of Ukraine, sincerely calls upon you to join the Global Prayer for Ukraine on August 24, 2026.

On August 24, 2026, the people of Ukraine will mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence. This anniversary will take place during the twelfth year of war and the fifth year of Russia’s ongoing full-scale military aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have endured and continue to endure human losses, the occupation of part of their territory, the deportation of children and civilians, the destruction of cities and villages, the devastation of logistics infrastructure and food storage facilities, the persecution of religious communities and believers of various faith traditions, and many other consequences of the war unleashed by the Russian Federation.

Millions of Ukrainians have lost their homes, and tens of thousands of families have lost their loved ones. Russian military forces continue to engage in outright terror against the civilian population by attacking Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic and cruise missiles, jet-powered drones, and aerial bombs. Yet the Ukrainian people, steadfastly and in unity, continue to fight for their freedom and independence.

In this time of extraordinary trial, Ukraine needs not only political, economic, and humanitarian assistance, but also spiritual solidarity—support through prayer, compassion, and fraternal participation. Today, Ukraine especially needs the spiritual unity of the global religious community. We believe that united prayer can bring peoples together, strengthen faith, support those who suffer, and serve as a powerful testimony to God’s love and human solidarity.

Ukraine’s Independence Day is a historic event that became a symbol of the collapse of the Soviet totalitarian system, which was built upon state atheism, the denial of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and the persecution of faith. Today, as the Kremlin regime seeks to revive an imperial and colonial model of domination, this united prayer will serve not only as a spiritual expression of solidarity with Ukraine but also as an affirmation of the values of freedom, human dignity, peace, and the right of peoples to determine their own future.

The purpose of the Global Prayer for Ukraine is to unite believers around the world in a common prayer to the Almighty, asking for:

● an end to the war and suffering;

● the protection of the innocent and the preservation of human life;

● the establishment of a just and lasting peace;

● the restoration of truth, freedom, and human dignity.

We kindly ask you, on August 24, 2026 (or on the nearest worship day to that date), in your churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship, and in accordance with your religious tradition, to address your faithful concerning the importance of spiritual solidarity with those who suffer and to offer a special prayer for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Information and materials related to the Global Prayer for Ukraine are available at www.prayforukraine.org.ua.

May our united prayer for Ukraine become a testimony to the unity of people of goodwill, a source of hope for those who suffer, and spiritual support for all who fight for peace, freedom, and human dignity.

May the Merciful God grant peace and blessings to us all.

Kyiv, 7th August, 2026