Dearly Beloved in Christ!
On April 26, forty years will have passed since the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) - a tragedy that caused a socio-ecological catastrophe on a global scale that forever changed the face of our land and the fate of millions of people.
Forty years, according to biblical tradition, is a special period: a time of probation, cleansing of memory and a deep rethinking of the path taken, as well as the experience of God's presence among us. Just as the people of Israel once travelled through the desert for forty years to the promised land, so we have been carrying the burden of the Chernobyl disaster for four decades. Today we pause to reflect on this path and draw lessons for the future.
First of all, let us bow our heads in respect before the achievement of the liquidators. They became the living embodiment of the words of Christ: “Greater love hath no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13). These people went into the fire and overcame the consequences of the nuclear disaster not for the sake of glory, but for the sake of saving lives. Their sacrifice stopped the spread of deadly radiation, and they became a living shield for all of Europe and the world.
Today, when Ukraine is once again burning in the flames of war, we see the same spirit of self-sacrifice in our soldiers and rescuers. We prayerfully remember everyone who gave their health and lives for our safety. May this sorrowful anniversary become a day of prayer: let us pray for those who died while eliminating the consequences of this catastrophe.
Even after forty years, we know only a part of the numerous eco-social challenges of Chernobyl, which are reflected in the fates of the victims. This disaster was not only a technical error – it was a consequence of the spiritual blindness of the Soviet system, which placed ideology above human life, and false greatness above truth and moral responsibility.
The experience of Chernobyl demonstrates that humankind cannot arbitrarily and with impunity rule over God's world. The disaster reminds us of our common responsibility for all of God's creation, for the environment. We must realize that the abuse of the Creator's gifts – including: air and water pollution, land depletion, destruction of nature, wasteful use of energy and resources - is a sin against God and against the present and future generations.
We are experiencing the current anniversary of Chernobyl in the conditions of a full-scale war that is destroying not only human lives, but also God's creation - land, water and forests, turning them into a disaster zone. The enemy is using the civilian nuclear infrastructure as a tool of blackmail. The occupation of the Chernobyl NPP at the beginning of the invasion and the constant threat to the Zaporizhzhia NPP indicate that the lessons of the past have not been learned by everyone.
The world has once again found itself on a dangerous precipice, where human pride and irresponsibility can lead to new disasters. In this context, we call on the international community to take decisive action to prevent a repetition of a tragedy whose scale could exceed the events of 1986.
By destroying the energy infrastructure, the aggressor not only deprives people of their usual living conditions, but also directly threatens the health and lives of millions. The tragic experience of Chernobyl and the modern challenges of war call us with particular force to ecological conversion, of which the Church constantly reminds us.
So let us become wise and responsible stewards of the Creator's gifts. Every unit of energy saved, every tree planted, every avoidance of excessive consumption is our contribution to preventing new environmental disasters.
The UGCC Bureau for Ecology on the fortieth anniversary of the Chernobyl accident initiated the All-Ukrainian eco-social campaign “Candle of Memory” under the slogan “Remember the past – protect the future”. Its goal is to honour the liquidators and victims of the disaster, as well as to call for ecological repentance and active protection of the environment in the face of modern threats.
We invite all the faithful of our Church and people of good will to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased hero-liquidators and for the health of those who still bear the burden of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Let us light a “Candle of Memory” on the windowsills of our homes on Sunday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. as a symbol of our earnest prayer and hope for the healing of creation. Let us be in solidarity with those who need medical and social assistance as a result of the Chernobyl accident.
May the Lord, who conquered death by His resurrection, help us to heal the wounds of Chernobyl. Let us implore the risen Christ for the gift of ecological conversion, so that we may be worthy witnesses of God's love, overcome evil, protect our common home, and multiply the gifts of the Creator.
The Lord's blessing upon you!
† SVIATOSLAV
Issued in Kyiv,
at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,
on the day of the Holy Hieromartyr Januarius and those with him,
and the Holy Martyr Theodore of Pergia,
In the year of our Lord 2026 on 21 April.
[*unofficial translation]