Orthodox priest met with Ukrainian hostages in Libya / Православие.Ru

Kyiv, April 20, 2012

A co-worker of the Department for External Church Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church archpriest Zacharia Kerstyuk, who is on a spiritual mission to Libya, on April 17 managed to meet with the Ukrainian hostages held captives by Libyan rebels for about eight months. In addition to Ukrainian hostages who are over twenty, two citizens of Russia and three citizens of Belarus are also held captive.

Father Zacharia greeted all the hostages on the Bright feats of Resurrection - the Easter, and offered each of them a small icon, a book of prayers and a decorated egg, and also provided them with spiritual literature.

The priest spoke with each of the hostages, supported and encouraged, and persuaded them not lose heart, to pray and hope for the better. Instead of an hour agreed on, the meeting lasted two hours.

The Ukrainians were also able to briefly talk to their friends using the mobile phone of the priest. The meeting was also attended by Ambassador of Ukraine in Libya M. Nagorny, and Ambassador of Belarus in this country A.O. Stepus'.

According to the most hostages the conditions of stay and nutrition had been improved not long before the arrival of the priest. Note that in August 2011 the group of Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians mentioned was captured by rebels during the battles in Tripoli. They were charge to have repaired military equipment for the former leader of the country's Muammar Gaddafi. The hostages deny their guilt.

Upon returning home the priest of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC plans to contact the relatives of hostages, to tell them more about their situation.

UOC