January 12 in Ukraine marks the day of a political prisoner. On this day, the families of Ukrainians imprisoned for political reasons had dinner with the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epiphanius, who, together with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church charity Eleos-Ukraine, initiated the meeting.
The dinner was also attended by ambassadors or their deputies from the United States, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Minister for the Temporarily Occupied Territories Vadym Chernysh, First Vice-Rector of the CPBA Archpriest Oleksandr Trofimlyuk, member of the International DIPLOMATIC MISSION Ihor Oleksandrovych Hryb – Head of the Department of Persons Deprived of Personal Freedom, heads of Ukrainian public organizations and cultural figures.
During the joint dinner, the choir of the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy sang carols, and the soloist of the Mandry group Serhiy Fomenko sang patriotic songs, in particular, “Don’t sleep on my native land.” Singer Anzhelika Rudnytska united everyone for a common carol. All these songs were designed to lift the spirits and strengthen the hope of parents and relatives who met Christmas Eve without their children.
Ukrainian artist Andriy Yermolenko created an original postcard “Hold on, brothers” especially for this evening.
It was very pleasant, necessary, and sincere communication. It was enough to look into the eyes of these people who need our support.
At the end of the meeting, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Epiphanius presented gifts to everyone present and called on them not only to believe but to be sure that God will help Ukraine not only return its sons and daughters home but also help liberate all Russian-occupied Ukrainian lands.
