“We believe that people will find support and inspiration in the points of invincibility,” Bishop Maksym Ryabukha during the order of the blessing of the point of invincibilityin Zaporizhzhia

Father Roman Vovk is the pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Zaporizhzhia. Today, this city is constantly suffering from shelling by Russian troops. On January 6 and 8, 2024, the city was subjected to massive attacks by cruise and ballistic missiles, resulting in 5 explosions. There are reports of missiles hitting residential areas — in open areas and near houses. As a result, people are often left without heat, electricity, or communication, unable to cook or call their families.

“The full-scale war against Ukraine has been going on for more than 100 weeks, and the challenges of the war are not fading away. Today, both Zaporizhzhia and Pokrovsk are frontline cities that are shelled every day, people lose resources for their lives every day, and people lose their lives every day. All these challenges constantly raise the question: How to act? How to help? How to be there for them?” Bishop Maksym Ryabukha said in a commentary to the press service of Mudra Sprava.

Responding to the challenges of the Russian war against Ukraine, on January 16, 2024, the Patriarchal Foundation Mudra Sprava with the support of Porticus (international charitable organization) installed in Zaporizhzhia the next “Good Samaritan” point of invincibility. And it became unique, because unlike all the previously established points throughout Ukraine, it is not located at a parish church.

In the morning of that day, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was held in a local church, led by Auxiliary Bishop Maksym Ryabukha of the Donetsk Exarchate of the UGCC. Afterward, the bishop served the order of the blessing of the point of invincibility. The ceremony was also concelebrated by Most Rev. Stepan Meniok, Bishop of the Donetsk Exarchate, Fr. Lyubomyr Yavorsky, Patriarchal Econom of the UGCC, and Fr. Roman Vovk, Econom of the Donetsk Exarchate.

At the end of the meeting, the bishops and clergy distributed food packages to all those in need and affected by the war.

In total, the Patriarchal Foundation Mudra Sprava delivered about 840 food packages to Zaporizhzhia. They were formed thanks to the generous financial support of Ukrainians and concerned Canadian citizens who donated through the CNEWA Charitable Organization.

“We believe that these points of invincibility will be temporary. We believe that the war will end very soon with the victory over evil, which is trying its best to take over this world, to take over our land. And we believe that in these points of invincibility, people will find support, warmth, and kindness, and will be able to share it with other, with those who do not yet know the way to these points of invincibility. We need to share it with those who are looking for it today and cannot find it,” Bishop Maksym Ryabukha summarized the event.

On the same day, a team of the Patriarchal Economy headed by Fr. Lyubomyr Yavorskyy held a working meeting in Dnipro with Archpriest Vasyl Pantelyuk, the social ministry synkel of the Donetsk Exarchate and director of Caritas, and his team. During the conversation, the Patriarchal Econom of the UGCC presented the “Healing Communities” training program. It includes both educational and psychological rehabilitation and spiritual recovery. So, the Caritas team became interested and discussed participation in the program.

Press service of the Patriarchal Foundation Mudra Sprava