On Thursday, March 17th, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima arrived from Portugal to the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine. It will remain there until April 15th.
The official page of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church reported that the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lviv, His Excellency Ihor Voznyak, C.SS.R., welcomed the statue along with many faithful and clergy at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “This is a big event for our city. We are grateful to those who gladly agreed that the statue come to us and we were able to offer our prayers for peace in Ukraine to the Virgin Mary,” said the Archbishop. He further addressed the faithful making an allusion to the story of David and Goliath, “today we are witnessing how God restored in the hearts of the people the Spirit of the living, which no one can overcome. According to God’s will, little Ukraine will defeat the enemy that at the whole world fears.”
In the midst of uncertainty and suffering as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, the whole Church seeks divine assistance through prayer.
Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as asked by Our Lady of Fatima during her apparitions in 1917. Though this consecration has been done previously by the Pope, it has been a source of controversy due to the manner in which the consecration was carried out. Archbishop Voznyak made a reference to the upcoming consecration on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation, by recalling the words of the Blessed Mother, “a moment has come in which God calls on the Holy Father, together with the bishops of the whole world, to consecrate Russia to my Immaculate Heart.”
In my own Diocese of Savannah, Bishop Parkes will celebrate noon Mass at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in union with Pope Francis.
Pictures taken from Facebook Page of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church [Українська Греко-Католицька Церква]
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