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A large portion of this assistance consisted of emergency existential aid, which benefited 7,447 diocesan priests, religious sisters and brothers, and diocesan staff. These are the men and women who have remained on the ground, sometimes in the most dangerous situations, keeping the life and activities of the Church going.

Two priests, Father Ivan Levytsky and Father Bohdan Heleta, were arrested by Russian forces on November 16 and stand charged with leading resistance in the occupied city of Berdyansk. Despite constant efforts, the Church has not been able to secure their release, and there are fears that they are being tortured, said Major Archbishop Shevchuk.

Kaczmarek believes that “recent Russian drone attacks are not targeting strategic military objectives,”, but are instead “making the daily lives of Ukrainians more difficult,” and also making it “impossible to survive the winter in these places.”

They have been imprisoned in a pre-trial detention center in Berdiansk run by the Russian administration and stand accused of preparing a terrorist act.

When the war in Ukraine began, many people ran away from the worst-hit areas. The Church, however, remained to help to look after all those who could not, or would not go away.

“Most attacks are launched at night, but there have also been explosions nearby when the meals were being served at about 10 in the morning. “

His first instruction that day was that all priests should remain in their parishes, close to the faithful entrusted to them. At the same time, the safety of their families required care and attention, since most Greek Catholic diocesan clergy have wives and children.