The Ukrainian Parliament has declared that the 24th February - the anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 - will become a nationwide day of prayer.

Oleksandr Yazlovetskiy, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Kyiv-Žitomir, told Vatican News that, “for most Ukrainians, this day will always evoke negative emotions”, bringing to mind “a wound that will bleed for a long time to come”.

However, he said, its transformation into a national day of prayer would allow the day to also represent “an expression of gratitude to God” – gratitude “for saving our country from Russian occupation, and thus preserving our independence.”

The day of prayer, Bishop Yazlovetskiy said, would also be an opportunity to ask God for “a just and speedy peace”, and for the protection of Ukrainian soldiers, ”that they might return safely to their families”.

“We will also pray for prisoners to be freed”, the bishop stressed, “for the wounded, and for the dead  - soldiers and civilians”.

Bishop Yazlovetskiy added that the day of prayer would also be an opportunity for dialogue between different Christian churches and between different religions.

Russia, he said, has “united our people in defending their independence, and also united our people in prayer, that they might gain this independence.”