On February 24, a joint prayer of the Stations of the Cross was broadcasted to the whole world -

On the anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the team of the National Office "Caritas-Spes Ukraine" conducted a joint prayer of the Way of the Cross called "366 Standing" live on YouTube. In this prayer, the "Caritas-Spes Ukraine" team expressed their personal pain and the pain of the entire Ukrainian people, symbolically comparing it to the path of suffering and torment that Jesus went through before the crucifixion. This prayer became unity in grief and solidarity with Ukrainians in the whole world.

"On the anniversary of this tragedy, we gathered together to present to you, God, our most secret prayer. This is what each of us hid behind our everyday worries and what we discovered by meditating on Your sufferings. Each station of this Way of the Cross is written with the pain and hope of Caritas-Spes Ukraine workers and reflects the human tragedy during the war. God, accept these reflections as a prayer for our Motherland", began the opening prayer, President of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskyi.

Joint prayer "366 standing" launched a wave of prayers in Poland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and other European countries. People joined the prayer not only on YouTube, but also live. Thus, as a sign of solidarity with all the victims of the war in Ukraine, Caritas of the Archdiocese of Rijeka in Croatia joined the worldwide prayer initiative in St. Vitus Cathedral. The prayers of the Way of the Cross of the "Caritas-Spes Ukraine" team were read by Caritas employees of the Archdiocese of Rijeka in Croatian and by Ukrainians living in Croatia in Ukrainian. The moment on the 12th stand, which was read by the Ukrainian Iryna and over which she burst into tears, was especially emotional.

The Way of the Cross prayer, which was virtually broadcast all over the world, was also held in the Congregational Church of St. Blaise in Dubrovnik as a sign of unity in grief with Ukrainians.

"Lord Jesus Christ, today our weapon is Your cross. Your Way of the Cross. We want to follow You on Your path. We know that you do not remain on the cross, but rise from the grave for the glory of the resurrection. Today, so many people are praying with the Ukrainian people. People who want peace. We also want and long for peace. And that is why we go to the cross together with you, Ukrainians. Oh Lord, is there an end? Is there hope? Have mercy on all of us under your cross," said the president of the diocesan Caritas and the rector of the church of St. Vlachy Msgr. Ivitsa Pervan.

The broadcast of the prayer in Croatian can be viewed in the recording of the Croatian television station Laudato TV.

The closing prayer was led by Maria Nyman, General Secretary of Caritas Europe, with the following words:

“It's so hard to keep the faith when death is so close, we heard tonight. We must help each other to keep that fragile flame of faith and hope alive. We need to be together, close to the people of Ukraine, help each other keep hope, help keep faith, even when it's difficult."

The story about how the joint prayer of the Way of the Cross took place in one of the Kyiv bomb shelters is available on the Italian news channel TG200.

You can listen to the prayer of the team of the National Office "Caritas-Spes Ukraine" and join it as a sign of solidarity with all the people of Ukraine at any time on our YouTube channel: