Three special online services to remember the people of Ukraine in prayer and to pray for peace are being organised by the diocese during Advent. The format will follow the pattern of the prayer vigils which took place in Lent, shortly after the Russian invasion.

The first service takes place at 6.30pm CET / 5.30pm GMT / 19.30 Ukraine time on Wednesday 7 December. The others will be at the same time on 14 and 21 December.

Bishop Robert will give the address at the first service. He will have just returned from a three-day visit to Ukraine that he is undertaking now alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury. The trip has been organised to show solidarity with the people and churches of Ukraine. It is hoped that Archbishop Justin will give the address on 21 December.

Announcing the services, Diocesan Secretary Andrew Caspari said, ‘In this season of Advent, we travel from darkness into light as we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Messiah. Nowhere is the sense of the darkness and the yearning for the light more powerfully witnessed in our diocese, or in the world, than in Ukraine. On Christmas Eve it will be exactly nine months since the Russian invasion. The war is unrelenting and brutal with war crimes regularly uncovered. For many hours each day much of the country is cast into darkness due to the power cuts and people scuttle between their homes and shelters as attacks continue. In spite of all this, our people in Ukraine continue to gather in person and online to pray. We are called to join them.

‘I hope as many people as possible will join us online just as they did on Wednesdays during Lent. We expect that on 21 December, a large number of friends from across England will also gather with the diocese for the service.’

The services are expected to last about 40 minutes. 

Join our service on the 14 December here

Join our service, with Archbishop Justin, on the 21 December here.

Download the invitation here.  

Watch the service on the 7 December here.