Volodymyr Lytvyn: Bible House should be founded on Pechersk Hills, at least in the Triangle between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers and the President's Administration

Volodymyr Lytvyn: Bible House should be founded on Pechersk Hills, at least in the Triangle between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers and the President´s Administration

On Tuesday, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, attended the grand ceremony of opening of the Bible House in Ukraine.

The Bible House will become the place for the representatives of different Christian denominations, theologians, researchers and other visitors to get exhaustive information about the sacred book of Christianity, and familiarize themselves with Ukrainian translations of the Bible by Panteleimon Kulish, Ivan Nechui-Levytskyi, Ivan Puliui; professor Ivan Ohienko; Ivan Khomenko and Rafail Turkonian, and with translations of the Bible in other languages.

Today the Ukrainian Bible Society is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of its foundation. An inter-denominational meeting was held on this occasion with the participation of members of 16 leading Christian churches affiliated with the Society.

The Ukrainian Bible Society presented a new fourth full Ukrainian translation of the Bible from the Old Greek (Septuagint). The translation was made by the laureate of the National Taras Shevchenko Prize archmandrite Rafail Turkonian under the editorship of prominent linguists and philologists of the National Academy of Sciences and leading universities of Ukraine. Theological expertise was performed by the representatives of different Christian denominations of Ukraine, and renowned Ukrainian and international experts in biblical studies and theology. 

Greeting the attendants of the grand assembly, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, declared, "Ukraine will consolidate as a state as far as God and faith assert in the human soul." "God is a pledge that Ukraine will remain an independent state from here to eternity," he stressed.

The Head of the Parliament believes that the Ukrainian Bible Society dates back to more than twenty years. According to V.Lytvyn, Bible societies were founded in several cities of Ukraine as early as at the beginning of the XIX century.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed that Ukraine has a long-lasting history. "However, we should demonstrate not only hardships marked by wars and famines, but also the history of modern developed Ukraine," he stated. "We have to proclaim that our past, including the history of the Ukrainian Bible Society, is great," he emphasized.  

V.Lytvyn thanked the initiators of foundation of the Bible House in Kyiv. "Bible House should be founded on Pechersk Hills, at least in the triangle between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers and the President´s Administration. Reading the Bible should become a daily habit. Law-makers should realize their high calling," the Head of the Parliament declared.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine regards it as the act of God that the Bible was presented and the Bible House was opened in the days, which "underscore the rightness of scholars proclaiming the end of history and the comeback to history." According to the Head of the Parliament, "A predictable and rather peaceful post-war stage of the global world has finished, there is return to confrontation, formation of new power centers, and the attempts to conquer new countries and states." He believes that fight for energy and food resources accounts for such a development of affairs. V.Lytvyn stated, "Only wisdom, faith and observance of the commandments will help overcome this crucial moment."

As the 20^th anniversary of the Society is celebrated on the eve of the anniversary of beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Head of the Parliament stressed, "We have to discuss the key issues how such incidents can be prevented, and how people addressed the church to obtain the sought-after victory." He recommended the ‘hotheads´ to read several pages from the Bible before passing important resolutions or shouting slogans, and calm down.

V.Lytvyn is convinced that "faith and understanding of sins will guarantee social development based on moral values." It is of special importance, given that the limits of human rights and liberties have been extended, and do not always coincide with the moral and religious rules. 

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine informed about the exhibition of the Bibles and other religious publications scheduled for the day of the grand assembly dedicated to the 20^th anniversary of independence of Ukraine. "Denominations, as well as politicians, should understand each other at last," he stated. "The authorities might be disliked, feared or despised. However, a high level of development will not be reached, unless people trust the authorities." 

V.Lytvyn supposes that the authorities are largely responsible for it. However, politicians and the public should make it a common cause, so that Ukraine would be respected worldwide.

For reference: Ukrainian Bible Society is a religious non-profit organization, established in 1991 by representatives of different Christian denominations in Ukraine. The goal of the Society is translation, printing and distribution of the Bible in the Ukrainian language and the languages of minorities residing in the territory of our state. The Society includes 16 leading Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Ukrainian denominations, and the Department of Religious Studies of H.Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The Society is a full-fledged member of the world organization of the United Bible Societies.  

The Society has printed and distributed 8,1 million copies of the Bible, 3 million of which were distributed within different all-Ukrainian charity campaigns.