Christian Aid: United in Prayer

A message from Bishop Paul and Bishop Sarah

The horrible war in Ukraine has both disturbed and shocked us all. It has created so much suffering. Many of us have supported Ukrainians in a wide variety of ways over this past year. Now one year on, as the war and suffering continues, it is important that we mark this by a renewed focus on prayer.

The resources from Christian Aid (detailed below) are very helpful, so we encourage you to use them, or others like them, and mark February 24th-26th with prayer for Ukraine and her people.

From Christian Aid - United in Prayer for Ukraine: 24-26 February 2023

As you know, 24 February will be the one year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. We have seen how the invasion by Russian forces is destroying the homes and the freedom of Ukrainian people to lead their own lives.

We are inviting churches across Britain and Ireland to join together in an act of witness to pray for Ukraine, on Sunday 26 February, for an end to the conflict and for all those affected by the terrible impact of war. This act of witness will stand in solidarity with national services being organised with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Churches Together in England and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on 24 February. This ecumenical service will have voices from across the UK, including our Ukrainian community.

I would like to invite the Durham Diocese to take part in a moment of prayer either in congregations’ Sunday worship or at another time in their communities. We have a number of resources that we would invite you to use on 24-26 February, including a prayer and a placard which you can use to share your moment of solidarity in person and on social media. You can also use the hashtag: #WePrayForUkraine in any social media posts.

You can download resources here:

More resources, including prayers can also be found on the Christian Aid website.

Together as Christians in these islands and with our sisters and brothers in the churches of Ukraine, we pray for an end to the conflict and for peace in our world.