I hesitate to emphasise the status of Kiev, Great City and the cradle of Holy Rus, lest I seem to imply that human beings elsewhere in suffering Ukraine do not "matter as much".
But I am irresistibly compelled by the indulgenced bilingual version of the Acathist hymn discovered by Joshua ... needless to say, the Roman Pontiff responsible is the Great and Glorious Benedict XIV, Prospero Lambertini.
Invictae Imperatrici festos Tibi ob victoriam dies Ego Civitas tua, utpote a calamitatibus liberata, in gratiarum actiones perscribo, o Dei Genetrix. Tu autem ut quae virtute polles insuperabili, ab omni me periculorum genere eripe, quo ad Te clamem: AVE SPONSA INNUPTA!
Thank you, Father.
ReplyDeleteTo quote the first line of brave Ukraine's anthem:
Ще не вмерла України і слава, і воля
"Ukraine's glory and freedom are not dead yet"!
Kiev is indeed but one part of the much-suffering Ukrainian nation: God grant them speedy deliverance, and may all men of good will come to their aid.
May I recommend Psalm 82(83), Deus quis similis, as a suitable prayer against the invaders? For the cause of Ukraine is just. May the Russian soldiers surrender and save their lives and souls, rather than die complicit in such grave evils. As for Putin, if he repent not, he will end in hell!
I also recall the words of the Rabbis: that while Moses and the children of Israel sang to the Lord after the drowning of Pharaoh and the Egyptian host in the Red Sea, God himself wept for the drowned Egyptians.
Surely now it is time the bishops of the world united in consecration Russia to the Immaculate Heart of The Blessed Virgin, as she requested over a century ago.
ReplyDelete