WCC urges Patriarch of Moscow to raise his voice against war

Patriarch Kirill - Wiki Image www.kremlin.ru.

Source: WCC

In a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow yesterday, World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev Prof Dr Ioan Sauca asked the patriarch to mediate so that the war between Russian and Ukraine can be stopped.

De Sauca wrote:

Your Holiness, It is with great pain and with a breaking heart that I am writing to Your Holiness. The tragic situation of the war in Ukraine has brought tremendous suffering and loss of lives. Many of our brothers and sisters had to leave their homes-including the elderly, women, and children-to save their lives.

The whole world is looking with concern and expects to see a sign of hope for a peaceful solution. I receive letters every day from different parts of the world, from church leaders and the faithful of our WCC constituency asking to approach Your Holiness to mediate so that the war can be stopped and the great suffering ended. In these times of hopelessness, many look at you asthe one who could bring a sign of hope for a peaceful solution.

I write to Your Holiness as acting general secretary of the WCC but also as an Orthodox priest. Please, raise up your voice and speak on behalf of the suffering brothers and sisters, most of whom are also faithful members of our Orthodox Church.

Western Christians celebrate today Ash Wednesday, the day of repentance as the beginning of Lent; likewise, we, as Orthodox, will celebrate this coming Sunday the "Sunday of Forgiveness" to mark our beginning of Lent next Monday. These powerful moments in our liturgical calendars call us to repentance, peace and reconciliation. While celebrating these spiritual moments, with filial respect and consideration, I write to Your Holiness to intervene and mediate with the authorities to stop this war, the bloodshed and the suffering, and to make efforts to bring peace through dialogue and negotiations.

Respectfully Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rev Prof Dr Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary World Council of Churches