Christians from 80 countries join Ash Wednesday prayer for peace
Ash Wednesday at St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso (KFOX14/CBS4)
Over 3,000 Christians heard personal testimonies from Ukrainian pastors and parishioners living in besieged towns and cities and Lenten reflections when they joined in an online ecumenical service of lament, prayer and solidarity with Ukraine on Ash Wednesday. In her introductory words, Rev. Anne Burghardt, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary decried the “horrors of war and displacement” and said: “A pall of ashes covers Ukraine. The claim of God calls humanity into responsibility: Where is your brother, Cain? We want to shout this claim into the hearts and minds of those responsible for all this violence.” Reflecting on the need to beat “swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks (Micah 4:3)”, Hanns Lessing, World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) Acting General Secretary affirmed the commitment of the world communions gathered for the event to supporting the churches in Ukraine, and spoke of the calling of all churches to the task of peace-making. Those present heard personal testimonies from Mykola Danilevich from Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, in the capital Kyiv, who said that up to 80 people are sheltering underground in his parish each night to escape from the bombings. Pastor Alexey from the Mennonite church in the south-eastern port city of Berdyansk showed empty streets and closed shops, saying that fuel has been rationed and there are concerns about the availability of food and medicine if the conflict continues. The service continued with a plea for Christians to bring hope through prayers and action at this time of crisis, and concluded with a time of intercessory prayers that extended beyond Ukraine to other war-torn countries including Myanmar, Syria, Ethiopia and the Tigray region, Yemen, Armenia, and South Sudan. Adapted from an article by P. Hitchen, Lutheran World Federation (LWF). 20 INSiGHT MAY 2022
