Metropolitan Borys Gudziak gave a presentation on the war in Ukraine at the Catholic University of America
On Monday, September 29, 2025, Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia delivered a presentation titled “The Cost of War and Peace: Necessary Concessions or the Defeat of Truth?” The event was organized by the Bishop H. Losten Center for Ukrainian Church Studies at the Catholic University of America. Joining Metropolitan Borys in conversation were Peter Kilpatrick, President of the Catholic University of America, and Aaron Dominguez, the university’s Provost.
Following welcoming remarks by Mitred Archpriest Mark Morozowich, Chair and Director of the Bishop H. Losten Center, Metropolitan Borys shared a series of photographs from his recent trip to Ukraine, offering a personal and poignant update from the war-torn country.
“I’ve never had that much contact with death, with cemeteries,” Archbishop Gudziak reflected. He described cemeteries filled with flags, each one representing a life sacrificed for Ukraine’s freedom and dignity. He also recounted encounters with wounded veterans, many of whom had lost limbs. “It’s really inspiring to talk to them [amputees],” he said. “They are energetic. They have endured great losses, but they are looking forward.”
Metropolitan Borys also addressed the religious dimension of the war. He noted the Russian Orthodox Church’s framing of the conflict as a “holy war,” while simultaneously being complicit in the destruction of human life. The condition of returned prisoners of war, he added, bears witness to this tragedy.
In contrast, he observed that in Ukraine, “the Bible comes alive.” He continued:
“The Bible, with all of its stories, all of its truth—the fall of man, the desire to live the gift, but also the temptation to live the grab, and how that temptation leads to death. And an inspired people going to a promised land—not leaving their own territory, but fighting for, defending, their God-given dignity, freedom, democracy, and religious pluralism,” stressed Metropolitan Gudziak.
After the presentation, President Kilpatrick and Provost Dominguez offered reflections on the broader global implications of the war in Ukraine. The event concluded with an open dialogue between the presenter and the audience, which continued informally over light refreshments.
