CWN - The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church decried the entrenchment of the Russian military in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine and said that his priests continue to minister there despite the dangers.
“In that territory of Donbass, which is under occupation of the Russian troops, each day [we] receive news of incoming of heavy weapons,” Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk told Vatican Radio.
“What strikes me personally, that in last few months, more than 700 tanks entered in that territory,” he continued. “My question is why? If we agreed to ceasefire, if we agreed to start a political process, if we are in favor of saving human beings in that territory, why is somebody investing in war?”
“Our priests were forced to leave that territory, but step by step we came back, even if our priests are in constant danger, direct threat against their lives,” he added. “In the city of Donetsk, we have three priests and three parishes, Greek Catholics; at the moment there are not any of the Roman Catholic priests.”
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