Archbishop ‘deeply shocked’ by Russian invasion of Ukraine

Greek Archbishop Ieronymos on Friday said that he is “deeply shocked” by developments in Ukraine and expressed hope that “prudence and reason will prevail” to end Russian hostilities against the eastern European nation.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to our Ukrainian brethren, and especially to the young children and to the elderly who are experiencing the horrors of war, as well, of course, as to the thousands of ethnic Greeks in that country,” the head of the Church of Greece said in an announcement.

He also expressed dismay, “as a man and a cleric,” at the latest footage emerging from Ukraine, such as a video of a young boy sobbing and saying he does not want to die or that of a weeping father saying goodbye to his daughter and wife as they seek safe shelter.

“All matters can be resolved with dialogue and understanding, but never with violence,” Ieronymos added in an apparent appeal to Moscow.