“War Taught Us to Enjoy Life”: A Kharkiv Priest on Why We Need to Live Now
Priest Ihor Shramko serves in the Kharkiv Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. At the same time, he works as a lawyer with several public organizations, including “Echoes of War,” which supports the rehabilitation of soldiers who have lost their sight. Father Ihor himself is also blind — he lost his vision after an injury in adolescence.
His path to the priesthood was a long one. Father Ihor graduated from seminary in 2006 and from the Kyiv Theological Academy in 2010. In 2019, together with his family, he decided to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He was ordained as a priest in October 2024, with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany and by the decision of Bishop Mitrofan.
Father Ihor describes his ministry simply: “To teach people to see the mercy of God every day. To show that it is possible to rejoice in the morning, in birdsong, to thank God and the military for another day lived. Do not postpone your life for later — after the war, after victory, after repairs. We need to live now and live fully.”
Learning the Passion for Life
Father Ihor attended the training “Palliative Care and Spiritual Support” on the recommendation of the rector of his church, Father Yuriy Baratynets. The topic was especially meaningful to him, as he already had experience supporting palliative patients.
“One person came to us who, because of illness, first lost their sight, then hearing, and later the ability to move. Before dying in hospice care, they had one wish: to learn Braille so they could communicate on messenger using a special monitor and stay connected to the world at least in that way. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time. This situation showed that we not only teach others — we ourselves learn from people. This thirst for life, this desire not to lose connection until the very last moment — that is also something we must learn,” Father Ihor says.
On the Front Line of Human Pain
He speaks unequivocally about the value of the training: for priests and chaplains, such knowledge is essential.
“Clergy are on the front line of human pain. People seek comfort in God — and it is good when they turn to the Church. But a pastor must understand when he can provide spiritual support himself and when a person needs to be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist. This is a pastoral responsibility, which is why we must continue learning constantly.”
According to Father Ihor, the war has changed him — just as it has changed everyone else.
“It taught me to appreciate simple things: a cup of hot tea with loved ones, walks, being together. Before, there may have been bigger plans. Now, there is joy in what already exists.”
The project “Clergy and Communities in Support of Mental Health: Innovative Support Practices During the War in Ukraine” is implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine with financial support from the Government of Norway (NORAD), in cooperation with the Kyiv and Lviv Orthodox Theological Academies.