On March 3—the eighth day of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine—Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said he had gathered with Orthodox and other religious leaders in historic St. Sophia Cathedral the previous day to pray for peace.

“We pray: God, in your wisdom, stop the war,” said Major Archbishop Shevchuk. “God, accept our prayer. God, protect your city, be among us and then we will not stumble. God, bless us before dawn and grant us peace.”

The cathedral is located in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital; Kyiv is also the headquarters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.