Patriarch Kirill lays a wreath at the Memorial of Glory in Kharkov

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After the Divine Liturgy celebrated on May 8, 2011, in the Freedom Square in Kharkov, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the Memorial of Glory.

Among those who came together with the Great Patriotic War veterans to honour the memory of the fallen were Kharkov Governor M. Dobkin, Kharkov Mayor G. Kernes, Russian Ambassador to Ukraine M. Zurabov, and Ukrainian and Russian clergy.

Patriarch Kirill laid a wreath to the memorial after which “Eternal Memory” was sung to the fallen in the war.

Then the Primate of the Russian Church addressed the veterans and the gathering, saying:

“Here, at the memorial devoted to those who fell in the Great Patriotic War, you feel especially acutely how deep is the wound inflicted by the war on the body of all our people, Ukrainians, Russian, Byelorussians – all those who fought against the most fearful and dangerous enemy defending the united homeland in those years.

Of course, today we remember the heroes well known to the people, but the Church remembers not only those who are known but also all those whose memory has not been preserved, whose remains have not been found, who were killed in the Great Patriotic War by an accidental bullet, a shelling, aimed fire, starvation, wounds or suffering. We pray that the Lord may accept all these people in his mansions because they are true defenders of us all. And we believe that He will because His highest command demanding one’s wholehearted effort is this: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (Jn. 15:13). That is why we honour the feat of those who died defending their Motherland.

May their memory last from generation to generation. May nobody ever dare encroach on this memory by wicked inventions or petty ludicrous offensive attacks. The Church will always cherish this memory and educate ever new generations for this memory.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the veterans. You remember that time not from books or stories – you experienced it and you have survived. The Lord gives you a long life despite your hard life journey. And your most important mission is to bear witness to the immortal feat of the people and to bring up new generations in respect for this feat.

May the Lord preserve you for many good years. May the Lord safeguard Holy Rus’ – Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova and other countries. May the Lord protect the whole world against terrible wars, fratricidal strife and human suffering.

Christ is Risen!”

The Memorial of Glory was built in 1977 in the northern suburb of the city. It is the place where Scores of war prisoners and partisans were executed during the Great Patriotic War.

Patriarchal Press Service

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Patriarch Kirill lays a wreath at the Memorial of Glory in Kharkov

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons