UOC priests bring from Donbas letters of military captives to their families

During the meeting with relatives of the Ukrainian military men, who are taken captive in Donbas, Archbishop Clement of Irpen handed them letters from them and told about the activities of the humanitarian program "Charity and Reconciliation Mission", founded by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This is reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

On August 2, Archbishop Clement met with relatives and friends of prisoners of war in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Representatives of state and volunteer organizations took part in the meeting.

Vladyka talked with the captives’ relatives and gave them the letters. The Archbishop spoke about efforts of the Church aimed at pastoral support and delivery of humanitarian assistance to prisoners within the framework of the humanitarian program "Charity and Reconciliation Mission" of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

From the beginning of the conflict the UOC priests have set free dozens of captives. For instance, the release of defender of Donetsk airport Taras Kolodiy from captivity of the militants took place via negotiations with the assisstance of Primates of the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches. Taras Kolodiy was mobilized in August 2014. First the paratrooper of the 80th air mobile brigade served in Konstantinovka, and then he defended the Donetsk airport.

The Ukrainian military men and National Security Service of Ukraine have expressed their gratitude on numerous occasions to the Primate and clergy of the UOC for the assistance in releasing military captives.