“One more community returns home healed’ — Fr Lyubomyr Yavorskyy on “Healing Communities”

The five-day training module was traditionally held at the Patriarchal House in Lviv, where 30 representatives of the Pidhorodne community arrived the day before. Among them are entrepreneurs, representatives of business, government and local authorities, community activists and opinion leaders, people who are not indifferent to the development of their community. They were accompanied by Fr Mykhailo Zaverchuk, Synkel for Clergy Affairs of the Donetsk Exarchate of the UGCC.

Over the course of five days, the participants of the program had the opportunity to listen to a short historical overview of Ukraine’s past, the Ukrainian people, and the formation of the Ukrainian nation. One day was also devoted to psychological recovery through self-reflection and psychoeducation for self-sufficiency, led by clinical psychologist Anna Kartman. The training lectures also focused on effective leadership, responsibility for one’s community, and the acquisition of resilience skills.

“Another community went through a healing process. They talked about it and testified to it in their final reflections. People came with their own expectations, which included rest and exploration of Lviv. Instead, according to them, they were so interested in the lectures that they did not even think about leaving. Undoubtedly, as the participants emphasised, their community needed such healing,” says Fr Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, one of the project coordinators and director of the Patriarchal Foundation Mudra Sprava.

A separate part of the training course was an introduction to the historical monuments of Lviv and its modern, war-torn life. The participants visited the central historical part of the city, the Memorial to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, the Powder Tower, the Church of the Assumption, the Dominican Cathedral, Rynok Square, the Armenian Church and its courtyard, the Officers’ House, and the Opera House.

Oleksandra Basan, a representative of the Pidhorodne City Council, says she has been to Lviv about 15 times before. “But I have never had the opportunity to walk around Lviv. Usually, it was a constant rush between trains. Today, you just walk around and fall in love with every street and building. After all, every street and building has its own unique history. And it’s just incredible!” she said.

“Today we are facing many challenges. However, we can transform any challenge into an opportunity. So, another community is coming home healed! And this cannot but rejoice us,” said Fr Lyubomyr Yavorskyy in conclusion.