Bethlehem Peace Flame at DNU

On December 18, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University accepted the Bethlehem Peace Flame.

As part of the international scouting tradition, it was handed over by the participants of the NGO “STANYTSYA DNIPRO PLAST – NATIONAL SCOUT ORGANIZATION OF UKRAINE”: head Olga Podhornova, head of the Stanychna Plastova Starshina Tetyana Vashchenko, together with the educator of the youth circle, fundraising referent Dina Pashko, and coordinator of the “Bethlehem Peace Flame-2025” campaign in Dnipro Anastasia Smyrnova.

The lit candle was solemnly accepted by the rector Sergiy Okovytyy in the presence of the chaplain of the 25th Sicheslav Separate Airborne Brigade, priest Vitaliy Trach.

– In these difficult times, it is more important than ever for us to keep warmth and radiance in our souls. So let this Bethlehem fire become a living symbol of the Light, which we protect so sincerely, with love and faith, – said Sergiy Okovytyy and treated the young scouts to sweets as a reward for fulfilling their noble mission.

– Lit in Bethlehem near the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ, this sacred fire continues its traditional journey to Austria. In Vienna, Ukrainian scouts-scouts relight it and transport it by rail to Ukraine – via Lviv and Kyiv to the Dnipro. Now this symbolic fire will remain with you too – at the Oles Honchar Dnipro National University.

  

The transmission of the Bethlehem Fire is of great importance as an annual Christmas tradition that unites people around the idea of mutual support and good deeds. By accepting this symbolic light from the birthplace of Jesus Christ at Christmas time, various communities and institutions of the world demonstrate their openness to unity.

Part of the international scouting movement – the Bethlehem Fire of Peace – has been present in Ukrainian public life for many years. For us, participation in this symbolic tradition is a way to remain in the common European/world Christmas space, where humanity, solidarity and the ability to be there for each other despite the circumstances are important.

At the same time, remembering the complex historical context of Christmas customs, which the Soviet authorities tried to completely eradicate on our land, through this tradition Ukraine is especially aware of the full value of culture, historical memory and experience of previous generations.

For reference:

The tradition of the Bethlehem Fire of Peace originated in Austria in the second half of the 1980s as an initiative to pass on the Christmas light to people who spent the holidays in hospitals, orphanages and other care institutions. Later, it was picked up by scout organizations, and it became international. In Ukraine, the Bethlehem Fire appeared in the early 1990s as an initiative of individual scouts. Since 1998, the national Plast has been holding the event officially. Since 2007, Ukrainian scouts have participated in the international torch relay ceremony in Austria every year.

Інформаційно-аналітичне агентство
Дніпровського національного університету