Seminar of the Ukrainian Christian Academic Society (UCAS) "Memory, History, Identity" held

On October 2, as part of the 7th ESW, a seminar of the Ukrainian Christian Academic Society, "Memory, History, Identity," was held. The event was moderated by Taras Dmytryk, Executive Secretary of the UCAS and Head of the Lviv Stauropegion Brotherhood of St. Andrew UAOC, and Dr. Antoine Arjakovsky, the Founding Director of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at UCU and now Research Director of Bernadine College,.

Archbishop Ihor (Isichenko), Archbishop of the Kharkiv-Poltava Eparchy of the UAOC, spoke about religious myths which are used by Russian ideologues in the information war against Ukraine and outlined fighting tactics against the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Fr. Mykhailo Dymyd in his report "From the Union of Hearts to a Joint Eucharist" compared the Maidan with one of the most important Christian sacraments, holy Communion. He claims that the revolution was effective thanks to sincere prayer and unity of intent.

Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zoria), Archbishop of Chernihiv and Nizhyn, UOC-KP, drew attention to the crisis in traditional family values. And Father Ihor Shaban, head of the UGCC for Promoting Christian Unity, spoke about common baptism and expressed hope that this meeting would be a good basis for future interfaith dialogue.

Antoine Arjakovsky’s book "Waiting for a Pan-Orthodox Council: Volume II" presented

On October 2, a book by IES’s Founding Director, Antoine Arjakovsky, "Waiting for a Pan-Orthodox Council. Volume II," was presented at UCU. The publication of the book was praised by Taras Kurylets, doctoral student at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas; Andriy Yurash, religious expert, Associate Professor at Ivan Franko University; Oleksandr Sahan, Ph.D., Professor at the G.Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy; and Vitaliy Khromets, Associate Professor of the Cultural Studies Department, M.P. Drahomanov National Pedagogical University.

Taras Kurylets spoke about the importance of the book and the difficulties associated with its publication: "The book is written in language at a highly scholarly level, which is why there were difficulties in translation, in particular, theological terms. It raises a huge range of issues on relevant problems, from social and religious to philosophical."
"The author not only states the facts but provides advice to people who are working on assembling a council," Oleksandr Sahan said. "This is a stimulus to thought. This is theology, church ideology that makes us seek peace
with ourselves and the outside world," Andriy Yurash says. Vitaliy Khromets noted the importance of the book: "Its idea will inspire inter-Christian dialogue and theological studies in Ukraine."

Civic responsibility and role of the Church

On October 2, as part of the 7th ESW the round table "Civil Liability in Times of Social Transformation" was held. The round table focused on the responsibility of politicians, the role of the Church in times of crisis, the influence of the civil sector, and cooperation between the Church and the military. Professor Antonina Kolodii, Ph.D., head of the Department of Political Science and Philosophy of the Lviv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, affirmed that the Maidan in 2014 disproved the idea that Ukraine has a weak civil society, that Ukrainians are passive and detached.

Zenoviy Svereda, Doctor of Social Economics, lecturer at the Pontifical Gregorian University, talked about what crisis" means, the concept of "the state" and its main tasks, and the Church and its social mission.

Mychailo Cherenkov, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at UCU, associate editor of "Theological Portal," the portal Religion in Ukraine," and the magazine "Theological Reflections," drew attention to the uniting of Christians due to difficult times.

Father Stepan Sus, pastor of the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, encouraged attempts to unite people around common values, to build the society that we want to see in our nation with one’s own efforts.

About the life of social organizations in Lviv

During the 7th ESW a visit was organized to social organizations of Lviv: Lviv Geriatric Home (71, Medova pechera Str.) and a home for orphans, Protection Family House (19 Kryvchytska Road Str.), on October 1.

Participating in the visit were social workers, many students, and Bernard Chevenez, General Secretary of the Social Weeks of France. The purpose of this visit was to demonstrate the practice of social work. The elderly and people with some degree of disability live in the Geriatric Home. The territory of the home has two buildings: one for residents (two persons per room, medical room, kitchen, etc.); the other has a library, assembly hall, pool and gym. "Once there lived up to 600 people, now 70," says Deputy Director, Hanna Ivanivna Kotyk.

In the Protection Family House guests were met by Fr. Mychailo: "Our orphanage is for boys from 6 to 23 years, until the children gain education and settle down. Now it is home to 52 children. They live in little groups by age categories, each with its own living room, kitchen, bathroom. The orphans go to normal schools and it helps them to adapt socially."

Photo Exhibit "Charity through the Prism of the Lens" opens

As part of the 7th Ecumenical Social Week, a traveling photo exhibit "Charity through the Prism of the Lens" opened on October 1 at UCU. The photo exhibit was opened by a representative of the Ukrainian Charity Forum, Yaryna Homtsiv. "I hope that when viewing the photos you will see how you can take part in social assistance or just get aesthetic pleasure," she said. The exhibit features the 40 best works, which were chosen from 550 photos, participating in the 4th All-Ukrainian Photo Contest "Charity through the Prism of the Lens."

The photos that constitute the exhibit reflect diverse manifestations of good deeds. The works are intended to show the public how easy it is to help others. Special attention is paid to the care of disadvantaged people: orphans, the seriously ill, persons with disabilities and special needs, and older people.