His Holiness Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus’-Ukraine Filaret awarded ecclesiastical medals “For Self-Sacrifice and Love of Ukraine” to 3 soldiers of the Azov Regiment and 29 Georgian volunteers fighting on the side of our country. Two soldiers were awarded medals posthumously.
Patriarch Filaret also joined Georgian military chaplain Archimandrite Kirion to bless the Georgian Legion’s battle flag. Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili was present at the event as well.
“The Church blesses people who defend their land, for there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s country. We are especially grateful to our Georgian brothers for coming here to help us, because you experienced a similar tragedy in Georgia itself. Ukrainian people will not forget your selfless fight for peace and justice, this expression of your love,” Patriarch Filaret told the present.
“Our common goal is to free both Ukraine and Georgia from the aggressor,” Saakashvili declared. “Georgians are here because of the events of the war in Abkhazia, where 34 Ukrainians died 20 years ago. When asked once why they were there, they replied: ‘We must stop the aggression here, because otherwise, we will have to stop on the Dnipro River.’ We are here to win. And we will win together.”
