24 February 2022

26 February 2023

The Swiss churches organised an ecumenical gathering under the auspices of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft christlicher Kirchen in der Schweiz, AGCK (Association of Christian Churches in Switzerland) on 24 February, one year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The event took place in the Münster of Bern with representatives of the Ukrainian community and dignitaries in Switzerland. National Council President Martin Candinas represented the Swiss Federation.

Martin Candinas, Chairman of the parliament (Nationalrat/Conseil fédéral)

The meeting began with a wish for peace in the four languages of Switzerland and Ukrainian. After a year full of unimaginable suffering, destruction and disruption of millions of lives, and after a year defined by this (new) war on the European continent, unthinkable until 24 February 2022, there is anger, sadness, despair, bewilderment and powerlessness. Still, there is also hope, trust, solidarity and compassion.

People need faith in a happy ending and peace in these times. Faith and gatherings, performed with symbols and words spoken and sung, feed this hope. And many of these small streams can eventually become one big stream on the way to (long-term) peace.

The gathering was a look into the future with a realistic view (without naive or false pacifist hopes and initiatives) of the present. The “Dona nobis pacem”, the lighting of candles and the olive branch were expressions of this future.

(Source and further information: Arbeitsgemeinschaft christlicher Kirchen in der Schweiz)