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Churches and people of faith in every neighbourhood, city, and town across Canada are raising their fervent prayers for peace in Ukraine. Many Canadians have been remembering friends with Ukrainian heritage, colleagues in Ukraine, or perhaps their own visits to Ukraine. The country and people are now under siege and it is a shock to our collective consciousness.
Along with +Ilarion, Bishop of Edmonton & the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, we “feel sorrow, shock, anger and are in disbelief.”
With the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Executive Committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops we “encourage the faithful and all people of goodwill to pray for the imminent restoration of peace, dialogue, and human fraternity.”
The global Christian community is united in its call for an end to the war.
With His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew we direct our prayers to the Lord Jesus, the Ruler of peace, asking Him with a fervent soul that He “will give strength to His people” and “bless His people with peace” (cf. Psalm 27:11) and we plead for an end to the war now.
His Holiness Pope Francis has invited us all to make 2 March, Ash Wednesday, a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine. He urged that it be a day to draw close to the sufferings of the Ukrainian people, to feel that we are all brothers and sisters, and to implore of God the end of the war.
World Council of Churches Acting General Secretary Prof. Dr. Ioan Sauca has appealed to Russian Federation President Putin to stop this fratricidal war, and to restore peace to the people and nation of Ukraine.
World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Bishop Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher called for an end to the hostilities, an immediate ceasefire, and respect for Ukrainian territorial integrity.
Engaging in war constitutes a failure.
Restoration of peace requires taking responsibility for injustices, repentance, asking forgiveness, and seeking reconciliation. The restoration of peace demands great love, mercy and forgiveness, a recognition and promotion of truth, human dignity, and human rights.
– Principles of Peace (May 2018)
With prayer, we work for peace.
Join with Project Ploughshares in their Canadian and global efforts for peace and disarmament, particularly in addressing the nuclear threat.
Write to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Canada to make your views known and call for an end to the war:
Ambassador Oleg V. Stepanov
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada
285 Charlotte Street
Ottawa ON, K1N 8L5
Write or email your views to the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae:
Mr. Bob Rae
Canada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations
466 Lexington Ave 20th floor
New York, NY 10017
United States
Contribute to humanitarian aid by donating to a humanitarian charity of your choice, or the efforts of such organizations like the International Orthodox Christian Charities, Mennonite Central Committee – Canada or Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, as they respond to immediate humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
The Canadian Red Cross also has a Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal.
Be prepared to welcome refugees from Ukraine and advocate for their safe passage.
Stand with each other and encourage one another to work and pray for peace.
Pastor Peter Noteboom
General Secretary,
The Canadian Council of Churches