Spiritual message bolsters Ukraine’s protests
An anti-government demonstrator speaks to riot police near the parliament building in Kyiv February 7, 2014. — Reuters picKYIV, Feb 7 — An Orthodox priest chants “God Have Mercy!” on Independence Square in Kyiv, where many of the anti-government protesters are believers who say religion gives sustenance to their struggle.
The sun rises on a tent city that smells of the smoke from multiple wood-fired stoves used to heat tents, including one used as an Orthodox chapel and another “multi-denominational” one.
One priest, then another intone morning prayers from a stage while a column of some 100 activists files past in military formation waving flags from boxer turned opposition leader Vitali Klitschko’s UDAR (Punch) party.
Various Christian denominations have been very present during the more than two months of protests in Ukraine, which have turned into a movement to oust President Viktor Yanukovych.
The clergy have set up shop in the protest camp.
At the Orthodox tent, a tall priest prays day and night in front of an improvised wooden iconostasis—the screen which traditionally separates the nave from the apse in churches.
Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko (centre) speaks to protesters during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk among burnt-out vehicles during clashes with Ukranian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European protester throws a missile during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European protesters gather around burning vehicles and wave flags during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester waves a flag during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk among burnt out vehicles and water during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Ukrainian riot police reacts after being hit by a petrol bomb during clashes with pro-European integration protesters in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Opposition leader Arseny Yatsenyuk (centre) visits the site of clashes between pro-European integration protesters and Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters take cover behind shields during clashes with Ukrainian riot police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A protester aims a catapult at Ukrainian riot police during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Protesters surround a police bus during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Protesters clash with Ukrainian riot police during a pro-European integration rally in Kyiv January 19, 2014. — Reuters pic
Ukrainian riot police take cover behind their shields in front of a burnt bus during a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester sits in a burnt police bus after a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester stands with a national flag on a barricade during a rally in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters carry Molotov cocktails during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester aims his pneumatic gun towards riot police during clashes in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters walk through a cloud of tear gas during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
People take pictures next to a police truck burnt during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester uses a slingshot during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
A pro-European integration protester uses a slingshot during clashes with police in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Pro-European integration protesters prepare Molotov cocktails during a rally near government administration buildings in Kyiv January 20, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand at a barricade, as temperatures stand at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) near Independence Square inKyiv, January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
Women appeal to Ukrainian police troops not to shoot at their children, at the site of clashes with anti-government protesters in Kyiv, January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
A cross erected by mothers of anti-government protesters is seen in front of a police cordon near a barricade in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters rest around a fire at a barricade in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Father Valery holds an icon as he walks through the barricades of anti-government protesters in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters stand on barricades at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Volunteers carry sandwiches to distribute among anti-government protesters near a barricade at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
An anti-government protester with his face covered with soot is seen at a barricade in Kyiv, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Volunteers distribute borshch (Ukrainian national soup) to anti-government protesters near a barricade at the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A masked man plays the grand piano to an audience of anti-government protesters in the Kyiv City Hall, occupied by opposition forces, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protester Anna paints a hardhat at the Kyiv City Hall, which has been occupied by opposition forces, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Tents of anti-government protesters are pictured at Independence Square in central Kyiv February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters hold a rally in Independence Square in central Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters attend a rally in Independence Square in central Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Anti-government protesters gather on a barricade near the site of clashes with riot police in Kyiv, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Posters with images of icons and yellow-and-blue banners—the colours of Ukraine’s flag—adorn the tent, along with quotes from the Bible.
A large black iron stove in one corner warms the faithful and the tent also has a large sofa—an item of furniture rarely see in churches—to allow the local guardian to rest.
A cocktail of denominations—Protestants, Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostalists and Greek Catholics—have joined together in a tent for all the other Christian protesters.
They welcome anyone who wants to pray, warm up, drink a cup of tea or have a ham sandwich.
‘We pray for politicians’
The tent is filled with bottles of water, fuel and food and a diesel-fuelled generator rumbling away outside provides warmth and lighting.
“We are constantly praying,” said Pavel, a Baptist pastor. “Right now we pray for a good debate in parliament”—where lawmakers were meeting to try and find a way out of the crisis.
“We pray for politicians, that they may have a sense of responsibility, that they may have the fear of God and that they may tell the truth.
“We don’t get involved in politics. We’re just against lying,” the bearded clergyman said.
Archbishop Evstratiy, spokesman for the Orthodox partiarchate of Kyiv, gave a similar line.
“We don’t get involved in politics, in elections, in political nominations. But the Church has a moral duty to fight lying,” he said.
The archbishop said Yanukovych’s decision to turn down an association agreement with the European Union was “a sin” because it was a kind of political lie to reject a long-planned deal.
The authorities “used violence against young people protesting who were forced to seek refuge in monasteries”, he said.
He said the patriarchate defended “the freedom of expression, whatever people’s opinions”.
The homilies on the square call for dialogue and a solution that is acceptable to everyone, and during the height of the clashes clergymen marched between protesters and police to try to stop the spiralling violence.
But Father Lyubomyr Sapranyuk, a Greek Catholic priest from Lviv in western Ukraine, was more direct in his condemnation of Yanukovych.
“I am here to support these people so that there is a change at the top,” he said, adding: “The current authorities are evil, anti-nation. They only want to enrich themselves.” — AFP
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