Patriarch Filaret visited the Babyn Yar National Reserve
09/19/2023
On September 19, 2023, His Holiness, Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and All Rus'-Ukraine, on the eve of the commemoration of the next anniversary of the tragedy of humanity - the mass executions committed by the Nazis in Babyn Yar, visited the National Historical Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar" at the invitation of the Director General Roza Tapanova.
Patriarch Filaret visited the territory of the National Reserve more than once (it was he who consecrated the monument to Elena Teliga and the wooden cross in memory of the executed members of the OUN), but this time he inspected, in particular, the Cross in memory of the executed Orthodox priests, Alley of the Righteous, a monument to the children shot in Babyn Yar, a monument to the dead Roma, a synagogue, the "Mirror Field" installation. The Patriarch also inquired about the places where Russian missiles have already landed twice during the current war.
During the excursion, Roza Tapanova spoke about the history of this world-famous and sacred place of memory for representatives of many peoples, about how its memorialization is currently taking place, and shared plans for the future development of the National Reserve. "I want every person who came here at least once to leave with the idea that the tragedy should not be repeated, to be absorbed by the memory of the events that took place here," said Ms. Tapanova.
"This place is sacred for representatives of different nationalities and religions - descendants of those who died here at the hands of the Nazis. Here, the past is connected to the present. The war is still going on today. Russia attacked Ukraine. And Russian missiles are already flying here and people are dying. It is a place of worship and remembrance of all civilized people of goodwill who are against war and terrorism. It is not by chance that delegations of foreign democratic countries come here, there are heads of states who support Ukraine in its struggle for our freedom and territorial integrity. The Church constantly prays that the Lord will rest the souls of those who were killed in this ravine," said His Holiness Patriarch Filaret.
