Archbishop of the UOC: The war in Donbass would have ended long ago if we learned to forgive

On the day of the uncovering of the holy relics of St. Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh, the Divine Liturgy was served at the Epiphany Cathedral by Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol, Metropolitan Mitrofan of Lugansk and Alchevsk and Metropolitan Mitrofan of Gorlovka and Slaviansk, concelebrated by clergymen of the three dioceses, reports the website of the Gorlovka diocese.

Metropolitan Mitrofan of Lugansk and Alchevsk addressed the townsfolk with a sermon on the Gospel reading, which stated that the cause of strife and wars is the inability to forgive neighbors:

"If we do not forgive each other's grievances, evil will spread in our life, in our society. Today, there are wars, people are at war with each other, the innocent suffer – this is a consequence of inability to forgive each other.

After all, this war in the Donbass, which we’re living through, from which we suffer, would have ended long ago if we learned to forgive each other and cover all with the love of Christ. For the Lord, suffering and dying on the Cross, did not curse his crucifiers, but on the contrary, prayed for them," the bishop stressed.