Originally published at The Crux
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Two of Ukraine’s foremost bishops have commemorated Monday’s 35th anniversary of the country’s freedom from the Soviet Union, while describing the terrible conditions that the celebrations will take place in from the ongoing war with Russia.
Speaking to Vatican News, both Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Bishop Vitalij Skomarovskyj of Lutsk, the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Ukraine (Latin Rite), spoke about the importance of the day.
“For us, celebrating Ukraine’s Independence Day means, first and foremost, thanking the Lord for the gift of freedom, of which the independent Ukrainian state is the guarantor. For Christians, love of one’s homeland cannot turn into idolatry of the state,” Shevchuk said.
“A state governed by the rule of law is an important instrument for protecting human dignity, freedom, the common good, and the people’s right to life. Love for one’s homeland is not hatred of others; rather, it is the willingness to assume responsibility for one’s people and to serve them,” he added.
Skomarovskyj said that the freedom Ukrainians enjoy today is a precious gift, especially when compared to the Soviet system.
“Today we live in an independent state and enjoy genuine
