Bancheny, Ukraine, March 21, 2022
news.church.ua
Since the start of the fratricidal war in Ukraine late last month, more than 8,000 refugees have passed through Holy Ascension-Bancheny Monastery in Western Ukraine.
The monastery in the Chernivtsi Province, not far from the Romanian border, is led by His Eminence Metropolitan Longin, who was recognized as a Hero of Ukraine in 2008 for his outstanding care for the hundreds of orphans who find shelter in the monastery’s center in a nearby village.
The monastery also operates a treatment-rehabilitation center, and a new medical center in honor of St. Luke of Simferopol was just consecrated and opened in October. Thus, the monastery is well equipped to care for the thousands that have passed through its walls since the war began.
Most recently, on March 15, 75 children aged 2 months to 6 years and a number of employees from the Kramatorsk Children’s Home were evacuated to the monastery, reports the Information-Education Department of the Ukrainian Church.
This was the second evacuation from the children’s home since the war began.
Met. Longin personally made sure that the children had new clothes, food, diapers, and other necessities, largely provided at the monastery’s expense. The brotherhood has also received significant humanitarian aid from the Romanian city of Suceava.
“You’re our family now. Any way we can help—we will help!” Met. Longin told the staff of the orphanage during their first meeting.
“I’m happy to receive them all with a smile and a kind word, to give these people food and everything they need, because I understand their situation. We have people from all over Ukraine, from almost every city, but most of them stayed with us for a few days, and then went to other places,” Met. Longin said.
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