“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

With these sacred words of Christ echoing through the sanctuary, the spirit of sacrificial love and unwavering service filled the hearts of all present at Saint Panteleimon Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in Brooklyn, New York, as His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, President of the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, offered a heartfelt tribute to Ukraine’s wounded heroes and the remarkable mission of the Protez Foundation.

During his archpastoral visit for the celebration of the parish’s patronal feast day, and in the presence of clergy, laity, and wounded soldiers recovering through the Foundation’s efforts, Archbishop Daniel - on behalf of the clergy and faithful of the Church, and with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony - presented a donation of $10,000 to support the ongoing ministry of the Protez Foundation, whose mission is to restore hope, mobility, and dignity to the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have lost limbs during Russia’s brutal and unjust war against Ukraine.

“This offering is not just financial - it is an offering of love, a prayer turned into action, a symbol of our unity with every wounded soul in Ukraine and here in the United States,” said Archbishop Daniel in his address following the Divine Liturgy. “We see Christ in the wounded, in the broken, in the one who suffers. And in their healing, we witness the resurrection power of our Lord, Who brings life where there was despair, and hope where there was pain.”

Archbishop Daniel first encountered the noble mission of the Protez Foundation during his archpastoral visit to Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in Palos Park, Illinois, where representatives of the Foundation and Ukrainian soldiers receiving medical care were honored with ecclesiastical awards for their service and sacrifice. He was deeply moved by the Foundation’s ability to not only provide prosthetic limbs, but to rebuild shattered lives.

“I saw in their eyes the quiet strength of martyrs and the joy of Christ’s healing touch, made possible through the hands and hearts of this sacred mission,” said the Archbishop. “The Church will never turn away from its wounded children - we are called to serve them as Christ served the suffering.”

During the Brooklyn liturgical celebration, in a deeply emotional moment, wounded soldiers - now walking again with the help of prosthetics - stood beside Archbishop Daniel to receive a special ecclesiastical Trident Award, adorned with the emblem of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. This honor, prepared by the Church, symbolized the sacrificial heroism and unshakeable dignity of the defenders of Ukraine and the medical heroes who walk beside them in their healing journey.

In return, representatives of the Protez Foundation presented Archbishop Daniel with a commemorative coin of gratitude, symbolizing the shared mission of love between the Church and this humanitarian beacon of hope.

This $10,000 donation is only one expression of the ongoing humanitarian commitment of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Weekly and biweekly shipments of medical aid, food, hygiene products, and vital supplies continue to be sent to Ukraine, distributed through the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, volunteers, and trusted partner organizations. These shipments reach deep into the towns and villages often forgotten by international aid efforts - places where the Church becomes the outstretched hand of Christ.

“We must never tire of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not lose heart,” said Archbishop Daniel, quoting from Galatians 6:9. “These brave men and women offered their limbs, their health, their peace so that others may live. It is now our sacred duty to offer them our support, our compassion, and our unceasing prayers.”

As the war in Ukraine continues to claim lives, destroy homes, and displace millions, the Church calls upon all people of good will to join this sacred labor. To support the Humanitarian efforts of the UOC of the USA, visit our web site: www.uocofusa.org

Pray for the healing of wounded soldiers and all those in need.
Give generously to restore not only bodies, but hearts and futures.

In the words of Archbishop Daniel: “The miracle of healing is not only in the prosthetic limb - it is in the human heart that refuses to give up, and the Christian soul that reaches out to help. Together, with Christ at the center, we can raise the broken and rebuild lives.”

Who is the Protez Foundation?

Founded in 2022 in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Protez Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to providing free prosthetic care to Ukrainians who have lost limbs in the war. Many of these patients include soldiers, children, and civilians who were injured in attacks on homes, schools, and humanitarian corridors.

Thanks to the support of charitable donors, the Foundation arranges for wounded Ukrainians to travel to the United States for world-class prosthetic treatment at clinical partner facilities, including Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates (POA) in Orlando, Florida. The Foundation covers all costs: medical care, travel, housing, translation services, and emotional support for the patients and their companions.

To date, the Protez Foundation has helped dozens of individuals walk, run, and even climb again. Their motto is: "We are rebuilding lives one step at a time."

 Learn more about the Protez Foundation: www.protezfoundation.org