Address of His Beatitude Sviatoslav on the Occasion of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Chornobyl Disaster
ADDRESS OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV
on the Occasion of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Chornobyl Disaster
Вих. ВА 26/157 ENG
Christ is risen!
Beloved in Christ!
On April 26, forty years will have passed since the accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant — a tragedy that caused a socio-ecological catastrophe of a global scale and forever changed the face of our land and the fate of millions of people.
Forty years, according to biblical tradition, is a special period: a time of testing, cleansing of memory and a deep rethinking of the path behind us, as well as the experience of God’s presence among us. Just as the people of Israel once journeyed through the desert for forty years to the promised land, so we have been carrying the burden of the Chornobyl disaster for four decades. Today, we pause to reflect on this journey through time and learn lessons for the future.
First of all, let us bow our heads before the bravery of the decontaminators. They became the living embodiment of the words of Christ: «Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends» (John 15:13). These people went into the fire and mitigated the consequences of the nuclear disaster not for the sake of glory, but for the sake of saving lives. Their sacrifice stopped the spread of deadly radiation and became a living shield for all of Europe and the world.
Today, when Ukraine is once again burning in the flames of war, we see the same spirit of self-sacrifice in our soldiers and rescuers. We prayerfully remember everyone who gave their health and lives for our safety. May this day of sorrowful anniversary become a day of prayer: let us pray for those who died while neutralizing the effects of this catastrophe.
Even after forty years, we know only a part of the numerous eco-social challenges of Chornobyl, which are reflected in the fates of the victims. This catastrophe was not just a technical error — it was a consequence of the spiritual blindness of the Soviet system which placed ideology above human life, and illusory greatness above truth and moral responsibility.
The experience of Chornobyl teaches us that mankind cannot arbitrarily and with impunity rule over God’s world. The catastrophe reminds us of our common responsibility for all of God’s creation, for the environment. We must recognize that the abuse of the Creator’s gifts—air and water pollution, depletion of the earth, destruction of nature, wasteful use of energy and resources—is a sin against God, against our neighbour and future generations.
We mark the current anniversary of Chornobyl in the conditions of a full-scale war that destroys not only human lives, but also God’s creation—land, water and forests, turning them into a disaster zone. The enemy uses civilian nuclear infrastructure as a tool of blackmail. The occupation of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant at the beginning of the invasion and the constant threat at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant indicate that not everyone has learned the lessons of the past.
The world has once again found itself at a dangerous precipice where human pride and irresponsibility can lead to new disasters. In this context, we call on the international community to take decisive action to prevent the repetition of a tragedy that could surpass the events of 1986.
By destroying the energy infrastructure, the aggressor not only deprives people of their normal living conditions, but also directly threatens the health and lives of millions. With particular urgency, the tragic experience of Chornobyl and the modern challenges of war call us to ecological conversion, as the Church constantly reminds us.
So let us become wise and responsible stewards of the Creator’s gifts. Every unit of energy saved, every tree planted, every act to avoid excessive consumption is our contribution to preventing new environmental disasters.
The UGCC Office for Ecology, on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, initiated the All-Ukrainian eco-social campaign, «Candle of Memory» under the slogan «Remember the Past — Protect the Future». Its goal is to honour the decontaminators and victims of the disaster as well as to call for ecological repentance and active protection of the environment in the face of modern threats.
We invite all the faithful of our Church and people of good will to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased hero-decontaminators and for the health of those who still bear the burden of the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster. Let us light the «Candle of Remembrance» on the windowsills of our homes on Sunday, April 26, at 8:00 PM as a symbol of unquenchable prayer and hope for the healing of creation. Let us stand in solidarity with those who need medical and social assistance as a result of the accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
May the Lord, who conquered death with his resurrection, help us heal the wounds of Chornobyl. Let us implore the risen Christ for the gift of ecological conversion so that we may be worthy witnesses of God’s love, overcome evil, protect our common home, and multiply the gifts of the Creator.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
† SVIATOSLAV
Given in Kyiv,
at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,
on the Holy Priest-Martyr Januarius and his companions,
and the Holy Martyr Theodore of Pergia
April 21, 2026 A. D.