Ukrainian Church Leader Sees Signs of Revival Despite Russia's 'Torture, Humiliation, Desecration'

WASHINGTON – U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week as discussions continue about efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Tensions remain high between the U.S. and Ukraine following comments from President Trump, who recently blamed Ukraine for Russia's invasion and referred to President Zelenskyy as a "dictator."

But both Trump and Zelenskyy now say there's progress on a deal for Ukraine to repay U.S. aid with revenue from its natural resources.

Despite the turmoil, Ukraine's Church continues to stand strong, offering a beacon of hope amid Russia's attempts to silence it. In a recent visit to the U.S., the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, spoke with CBN News about the resilience of the Ukrainian people and their faith during times of persecution.

As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reached its third anniversary, Patriarch Sviatoslav reflected on his childhood in Soviet-controlled Ukraine. He recalled how religious life was suppressed under the Soviet regime, with the church serving as a major source of opposition to the communist government.

"We survived in the underground church," Patriarch Sviatoslav said. "We were not allowed to pray, to have our services together, our people."

For many Christians, an independent Ukraine is now closely associated with religious freedom. "Russia's project, President Putin's project, is to restore the Soviet Union, and for all of us Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox, that means losing our freedom and going back to the catacombs," he added.

In Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, the Church has already come under attack. Patriarch Sviatoslav described how priests have been persecuted, with some spending months in captivity. "We were able to rescue two of our priests who spent 18 months in Russian captivity," he explained. "They revealed heartbreaking stories of torture, humiliation, and desecration of the church."

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While Ukraine is predominantly Orthodox Christian, the country also has thriving Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Jewish communities. Approximately 12 percent of Ukrainians are Greek Catholic. Patriarch Sviatoslav noted that the war has brought Ukraine's religious communities closer together. 

He recounted a powerful moment during a visit to a mass grave near Kyiv, just nine miles from his home. "In those first days after the liberation of that territory, I went there not only to see the bodies but to pray," he said. "There, on the edge of this mass grave, we were all together – Orthodox, Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims – because in those mass graves, we were all equal as human beings."

Despite the devastation, Patriarch Sviatoslav sees the Church growing in Ukraine. "We are experiencing a big boom of conversion to the Church," he said. "Why? Because the Church is a space of protection, like a mother who cares for her children. People in Ukraine today are looking for meaning."

Patriarch Sviatoslav also shared a message for Christians in the U.S. "Be Christians. Do not be slaves to any human ideology," he urged. "We pray that the Holy Spirit will give you discernment between lies and truth. Big wars always start with big lies. And pray, pray for us in Ukraine, because we have rediscovered that prayer is power."

The ongoing persecution of Ukraine's religious leaders continues to test this resilience. According to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nearly 70 pastors have been killed by Russian forces, more than 600 places of worship have been destroyed, and at least a dozen religious leaders remain in captivity.