Letter from Br. Błażej: Night 237

October 19, 2022

We are alive. The night was calm at our place. In the East it varies. Multiple shellings were reported all night long on infrastructure facilities, in Dnipro District, and in Zaporizhzhia. It’s 7:50 am. We are waiting to see what this morning will bring.

The Word… This word can cause fear in my heart: “You… must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Another word from the same liturgy today, gives peace: “God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” It all depends on which god you believe in. To fear or to love. God is love, it means to love and to live in peace, not even knowing when he will come…

We live in war, we do not live by war.

I am far from politics, hostility to the Russian state and nation, but what is happening now is no longer war, it is terrorism on the part of Russia. The war is on the frontline, between soldiers. In Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, infrastructure facilities are being destroyed: central heating plants, water and sewage networks. The first cold weather is coming. This is terrorism.

Press all around the world writes about Ukraine, but unfortunately about war, drones and Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Maybe someday they will write about the end of the war and reconstruction. God willing. (photo)

Attention. The Synod of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (ПЦУ) has allowed those parishes that want to, to celebrate Christmas on December 25. Good news.

Kyiv:
We continue to work. It’s our form of protest: NO TO WAR and occupiers. (photo)
Bishop Oleksander Yazlovtsky, on the occasion of his visit to our monastery, visited the Nazareth School in our Capuchin premises. A Polish language lesson was held. (photo) Every Tuesday, the friars pray with the people through the intercession of Padre Pio for the end the war. (photo)

Krasyliv:
“The only one who does something here is the pastor” (quote) (photo) Capuchin friars from Warsaw Province brought us some humanitarian aid and stopped for a while in Krasyliv. The goal of their mission is, of course, to go to the capital—Kiev, and how else! On the way, they will still visit Vinnytsia. We thank Br. Jan and Br. Henryk for their help and especially for their memory. Varsovians can be generous too! (photo)

Belgorod, Russia:
Explosions are heard again.

Lviv:
Deanery meeting in Lviv. (photo)

May God guard and protect us.