I am not a specialist in ballistics or armaments, I am a Christian; and therefore I want to be true to God’s Word! I am obligated to speak in agreement with Him and only in agreement with Him!
Today [October 18] we are once again witnesses to a grievous event: As a result of military action, once again both civilians and our church, the hierarchical Cathedral of the Protection have suffered harm. This is by far not the first temple of our Church that has suffered from missile strikes.
I address the leaders of the countries participating in this military conflict: I beg you: Stop! Sit down to the negotiations table and stop this madness once and for all. Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes (Rom. 3:15–18). I would like to turn the attention of all representatives of the governments on all sides of the conflict to this citation from Holy Scripture. Can madness have so swallowed you up that instead of constructive negotiations, the civilian population, churches, and infrastructure continue to suffer? All the riches in the world cannot surpass the value of one human life. Not one goal can be justified and attained through the corpses of innocent children, women, and peaceful citizens.
Unfortunately, there are many examples in the world of the same such madness: World wars, the war between Palestine and Israel, Great Britain and Ireland, the hundred-year war between France and England, the countless wars between African countries. What did they bring to the world? To the producers of weapons they brought a testing field for new weapons in real-life conditions, the joy of enormous sales—but to the population, lamentation and woe. Everyday both peaceful civilians and soldiers are dying. I am certain that the families who are grieving over their dead curse all participants in this conflict, because they are experiencing a personal loss. People are left without rooves over their heads, they can’t sleep peacefully at night, they leave their homes and properties behind, and chaos reigns.
War is a terrible thing and is always the result of sin. Our world, unfortunately, is sunk in sin, and even in the face of possible sudden death people continue to turn away from God, instead of repenting!
History from most ancient times has given us a vast number of examples showing that war brings only woe and suffering to the majority, while a tiny circle of organizers receives profits. To make profit from war is something that can be done only by unprincipled scoundrels, who pour oil on the fire.
Wars on Earth will only increase the further we go. And each warring side will have its ironclad truth. But there is always only one real Truth. And the history of mankind will end with the same thing with which it began—a meeting with the impartial Judge, God. And each person needs to decide here, on what side he’s on: With God, Who is Love, or with the world, which justifies its evil-doing with its chase after phantom justice.
I call out to all participants in the military conflict: Come to the right conclusions and make the decision the people are waiting for, what is best for ordinary people, and to third parties. Every war ends in negotiations, and the earlier they begin, the fewer victims there are, and the destruction of our genetic pool will finally end. Remembering the apostle’s words: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phillip. 4:6-7), I pray for divine wisdom for leaders and the speedy end to the military conflict.
From the fullness of the Zaporozhie diocese I pronounce my words of prayer and sympathy to the families of the deceased. I call upon the faithful children of our diocese to increase their prayer to God, that He might strengthen all of us and give wisdom to those in whose power it is to put an end to this madness.
Remember, that Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Heb. 4:13).
