Voice of Ukraine

From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 417):

Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 117

Christ is risen!

I think Easter is the only major holiday that makes us think about death, for the resurrection is impossible without it. Death is one of the topics we usually try to avoid, we are afraid of it, yet it haunts us, especially in a war-torn country.

However, Christ conquered the grave through His death. His resurrection assures us that our physical death doesn’t have to be final, for there is hope beyond it. What a comfort it is, especially when you are surrounded by mortal danger and risk losing your loved ones any minute.

Today, 130 POWs returned to Ukraine. 48 of them were considered missing. What a great joy!
However, on Easter night, Russian troops heavily shelled the Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions. The missiles hit residential areas. In Snihurivka (Mykolaiv region), the missile killed two people. A traditional Easter basket was found next to one body.
Later in the day, Russian artillery attacked a temple in Nikopol. At least two people were injured. I doubt this attack was unintentional, especially on Easter Sunday.

In the Orthodox tradition, there is a hymn of Resurrection, which I remember since childhood (when we would go to church only on Easter), “Christ has Risen from the dead, by death trampling upon Death, and has bestowed life upon those in the tombs.” This phrase, “by death trampling upon Death” — isn’t it what we see on the front lines? Our brave defenders are ready to give their lives to defeat the wickedness that came to our land. May the power of resurrected Christ grow stronger in their hearts, and may His life in them be stronger than death.

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55‭-‬57

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55‭-‬57