In a world wounded by war and uncertainty, the bright light of Christ’s Resurrection continues to shine through the acts of love and mercy extended by the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. This Paschal season, that radiant light was carried to the hearts of the children at the Svyatoshyn Orphanage in Kyiv, Ukraine, as clergy and monastics joined hands to bring the joy of the Resurrection – Pascha - to some of the most vulnerable members of society.

In partnership with the Brethren of the Holy Theodosius Monastery of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and led by the beloved monastic father Abbot Makariy, a mission of compassion traveled to the orphanage with arms full of Pascha baskets, Pasky, eggs, sausages, cheeses, sweets, and toys.

What they brought was far more than material gifts. They brought hope.

“We come to this orphanage not simply with food and gifts,” said His Eminence Archbishop Daniel. “We come bearing the message that Christ is Risen - and with Him, all things are made new. Even in a land scarred by war and grief, the Resurrection is not a story from the past - it is a living, breathing truth that tells every child: you are not forgotten. You are seen, known, and loved.”

The visit was filled with tender moments - clergy and monastics bending down to bless the children, to offer smiles, to kneel in prayer. The halls of the orphanage echoed not only with the sound of laughter, but with the hymn of Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

“We live our Orthodox faith not only in liturgies and icons,” continued Archbishop Daniel, “but in the ways we offer our hearts to those in pain. To care for orphans, especially in a time of war, is to step directly into the tomb with Christ - and to proclaim light in the face of darkness. This is love. This is the Gospel.”

For Abbot Makariy, whose monastic brotherhood has worked tirelessly with local communities throughout Ukraine since the war began, the joy of this Paschal outreach was deeply moving.

“When the children smile, it is the smile of Christ,” said the Abbot. “When they open their little baskets, it is the empty tomb. This ministry is not just about giving. It is about being with the wounded Christ in the world - and realizing that He lives in every one of these children.”

The Svyatoshyn Orphanage, which provides a home to children with special needs and those displaced by war, has seen transformation in both its physical condition and its spiritual atmosphere through the continued involvement of the Church. The rebuilding of the facility, supported by the parishioners of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, Maryland, has created safer, brighter, and more nurturing spaces. But this visit, filled with Paschal joy and divine presence, brought something just as essential: the knowledge that they are remembered, embraced, and prayed for.

As Orthodox Christians around the world proclaim the victory of life over death this Pascha season, the UOC of the USA continues to embody the truth of the Resurrection through its charitable outreach - offering baskets of food and gifts, yes, but more importantly, bearing the sacred Pascha of the Heart.

And so, in the words of Archbishop Daniel: “Let our faith not be only words or hymns. Let it be action. Let it be love. Let it be the kind of love that finds the orphaned child and says—Christ is Risen for you. You are not alone. You are loved by God, and by us.”

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!