CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Slovakia: St. Paul declared a patron of youth communitiesSt. Paul became a patron of the Association of Christian Youth Communities (ACYC) in Slovakia. The decision was made last weekend at the meeting of more than 50 leaders of regional centers and animators from whole country. "This apostle was one of the first evangelizators who announced Christ and God’s kingdom. That’s also a desire and a vision of our association", explained president of ACYC, Ján Buc. According to his words, the association wants to "get closer" to its members in 2013. "We would like to introduce member cards that would bring possibility to utilize various kinds of advantages", continues Buc. The plan for the following months includes a preparation of activities aiming to present the activities of ACYC to the public. Details about the respective events will be continuously published on the website www.zksm.sk. The Association of Christian Youth Communities has been systematically working in the area of spiritual formation and education of young boys and girls for 20 years.Ukraine: Day of Unity commemoratedThe inhabitants of Ukraine commemorated the Ukrainian Day of Unity (Den sobornosti) on 22 January. It was declared a state holiday by the decree of the president signed on 21 January 1999. The event has an important historical background, going back to the date when Eastern and Western Ukraine were united. On this day in 1919, the "Treaty of Unity" between the Ukrainians was signed and the unity of all Ukrainian lands previously belonging to the Russian Empire (UNR) and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was solemnly proclaimed on Sofijivska Square in Kyiv. The Day of Unity is a symbol of territorial and spiritual unity of Ukraine as a unified sovereign state. The celebration in 1990 had a special flavour. To mark the 71st anniversary of the signing of the document, over 300,000 Ukrainians created a human chain (approx. 482 km) from the capital Kiev to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Belarus: Week of Prayers for the Unity of ChristiansRepresentatives of various Christian Churches of Belarus gathered in Minsk to celebrate the beginning of the Week of the Christian Unity on 19 January. The meeting started with the holy mass presided over by auxiliary bishop of the Pinsk diocese, Mons. Kazimir Velikoselets. He turned to the faithful of various denominations to remind them that "God gave himself to us in the Eucharist – he gave us his love, holiness and wisdom". According to his words, a man lives not only through his body but also through his soul, and we should pray to sustain this part of our existence. "The prayer to Jesus Christ and the Mother of God is a power that protects us from various kinds of temptation", added the prelate. The eucharistic celebration was followed by an ecumenical service with prayer for the unity of Christians. Protoyerey Aleksandr Shimbolev, representative of the Belarussian Orthodox Church, affirmed that "we live in a complicated world" where the man is busy with many things he considers to be important. But the principal thing – explained the protoyerey – is to ask ourselves what God needs from us. "God is love and that’s also the first thing he wants from us", concluded Shimbolev. Vladimir Tatarnikov from the Luteran Church said that every confession has its own rich history but regardless of this fact we are brothers and sisters in Christ. He invited all participants of the ecumenical meeting to "look for the things that unite us inspite of differences, because together we are strong in facing the suffering and threats". Apostolic visitator for the Greek Catholics in Belarus, archimandrite Sergey Gaek, reminded the faithful that Christ invites us to follow him and this pilgrimage is enlightened by the God’s Word. "This Word should become the light and the source of God’s power for our joint witness about Jesus Christ", concluded the apostolic visitator.
