Friday 4 March 2022
1 – Kyiv shrines, memorials with great cultural value at risk
2 – Patriarch of Alexandria: “Putin thinks he’s the emperor of our times”
3 – Archbishop Gądecki asks Patriarch Kirill to appeal to Putin
4 – Congolese bishops express joy after announcement of Pope Francis’ visit to DRC
5 – After being injured in an attack last year, Christian Carlassare, the new bishop of Rumbek (South Sudan), will finally be ordained
1Kyiv shrines, memorials with great cultural value at risk
As Kyiv braces itself for a potential attack from the Russian forces, several important religious sites could be at risk. The Associated Press characterizes the Ukrainian capital as the “spiritual heart” of the country, home to Orthodox shrines dating back nearly 1,000 years, to the dawn of Christianity in the region. Among these are St. Sophia’s Cathedral, the Monastery of the Caves, St. Michael’s Monastery and St. Andrew’s Church. These landmarks are important both to the Ukrainian Orthodox and Russian Orthodox Churches. There is no confirmation at the moment that Russia is targeting religious sites. However, a Cathedral in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, was damaged in recent attacks. “The idea that the main symbol that stood in your city for 1,000 years could be at risk or could be destroyed is very frightening,” said a research scholar interviewed for the article.
AP, English
And today we celebrate...