Two disappeared Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests seized by Russian forces from their church in southern coastal city of Berdyansk in November 2022 have been released from captivity.

Despite the danger, following the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Redemptorist Fathers Ivan Levitsky and Bohdan Geleta chose to stay in the occupied territories, ministering to both Greek and Roman Catholic communities and providing hope under occupation.

According to the Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the priests were accused of illegal possession of weapons, “charges fabricated to justify their imprisonment”.

“Their prolonged detention was marked by a lack of concrete information about their whereabouts and wellbeing, despite reports of torture and abuse. Despite this, their faith and hope persisted”, said a spokesperson.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, expressed profound gratitude to the Holy See, particularly to Pope Francis, for their efforts in securing the priests’ release.

Despite the joy of this news, ACN recalls that many innocent civilians remain in custody, and invites friends and benefactors to continue to pray for their release, and for peace in Ukraine.