Despite Threats, Ukrainian Church Leaders Join Forces
Other clergy in Eastern Ukraine have been beaten and even killed by gangs and Russian-backed separatists. Despite the threats, Ukrainian church leaders of several faiths have been joining in prayers for peace.
Kulbaka helped organize the Prayer Maidan in Donetsk, “the last place where one could see Ukrainian symbols,” he says. Muslims and Buddhists have participated, despite ongoing harassment and danger. A local Muslim mufti even played a key role in helping Kulbaka out of the forest in 2014.
Prayer has been key for helping the priest recover and overcome a desire for revenge. It “transformed me and my attitude,” Kulbaka says. And forgiveness, he notes, has helped him recover from physical challenges he faced in the aftermath.
