Eastern Orthodox delegation visits Babi Yar
Babi Yar commemoration. Photo Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Eastern Europe
Delegates of Eastern Orthodox Churches have taken part in a commemoration of the victims of the Nazi executions in Kyiv. The commemoration took place took place in Babi Yar, the well-known place where many Jews were executed by bullets in 1941.
Among those present were a vicar of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Archbishop Agapit Humenyuk) and Ukranian Orthodox Church vicar, Bishop Spyridon of Vishnevsky attended. Also, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church and the chief rabbi of Ukraine attended.
That is reported by SPZH, the website of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Bishop Spyridon placed a lamp next to the monument in remembrance of the victims of the “Holocaust by bullets”. The tragic event took place on September 29-30, 1941. The Nazis killed almost 34,000 Ukrainian Jews by shooting them in the surrounding forests.
During the memorial ceremony, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said that silence is the only suitable response on days of remembrance of such tragic events. “Today, this is what the words engraved on the memorial tell us: “The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me”. I invite all of you to be quiet and listen (…). We must let this voice into our hearts today and embrace all those who were innocently killed.”
Tragedy
On the 80th anniversary of the tragedy last year, several Ukrainian organisations organised a joint commemoration with the assistance of several confessions. Therefore, not only Jewish leaders were present, but also Greek Catholics and several Orthodox denominations.
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