Wearing a white biohazard suit, a face shield and a blue mask over his mouth and nose, the Rev. Yaroslav Rokhman is hard to recognize as a priest when he visits terminally ill patients at a Ukrainian care center.
But his words still bring comfort to the dying.
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Wearing a white biohazard suit, a face shield and a blue mask over his mouth and nose, the Rev. Yaroslav Rokhman is hard to recognize as a priest when he visits terminally ill patients at a Ukrainian care center.
“Patients missed the support and spiritual care. They needed a priest. They needed to pray and talk,” he said while attending to patients at a palliative-care facility in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city 450 kilometers (270 miles) west of the capital of Kyiv.
Rokhman spoke to Shamineva in a soothing way and made the sign of the cross with his gloved hands.
“Our church was clean before the pandemic. And it’s clean during the pandemic. We respect our people. We want everyone to be healthy,” Gasynets said. "We want them to believe that in the house of God, Jesus Christ, Holy Church, everything is clean.”
Ukrainian authorities reported 393 new confirmed cases on Saturday, down from some 500 new cases a day earlier in May. The country has recorded a total of more than 23,000 confirmed cases and 696 deaths.
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, believers, some wearing face masks, attend a Mass conducting by Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest conducts a religion service at the church in Chernivtsi. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, center back to a camera, conducts a religion service during Anatoliy Megeden and Svetlana Megeden wedding ceremony at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, right, conducts a religion service while Anatoliy Megeden and Svetlana Megeden swearing on the Holy Bible during their wedding ceremony at a church in Chernivtsi. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, Father Vasyl Gasynets distributes Holy Communion during Sunday Mass at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
Rokhman, a clergyman in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased just to be performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties again. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip slowly recedes in Ukraine, priests received clearance on May 22 to resume religious services and to visit the sick and bereaved.
In this photo taken on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Father Yaroslav Rokhman, a priest of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church wearing a special suit and visor to protect against coronavirus blesses a patient of the hospice in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Rokhman, a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased to be able to return to performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip on Ukraine slowly recedes, priests received permission on May 22 to again hold services and visit the sick. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
“Patients missed the support and spiritual care. They needed a priest. They needed to pray and talk,” he said while attending to patients at a palliative-care facility in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city 450 kilometers (270 miles) west of the capital of Kyiv.
Galina Shamineva, a 34-year-old mother of two with cancer, was heartened to see Rokhman, his intimidating protective gear notwithstanding.
“I feel good — all thanks to you,” she said from her bed. ““I really needed to be able to confess and partake in the sacrament.”
In this photo taken on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Father Yaroslav Rokhman, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, wearing protective gear to protect against coronavirus, blesses a patient of a hospice in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Rokhman, a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased to be able to return to performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip on Ukraine slowly recedes, priests received permission on May 22 to again hold services and visit the sick. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
Rokhman spoke to Shamineva in a soothing way and made the sign of the cross with his gloved hands.
“Sometimes I cry, but I never give up. I’m fighting 'til the last breath,” she told him.
In Chernivtsi, one of the Ukrainian cities hit hardest by the virus, the Rev. Vasyl Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church, wearing vestments along with a mask while giving Holy Communion. Members of the congregation also were masked as they stood near each other, as did some choir members as they sang.
In this photo taken on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Father Yaroslav Rokhman, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, wearing protective gear to protect against coronavirus, blesses Galina Shamineva, 34, dying of cancer, at a hospice in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Rokhman, a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased to be able to return to performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip on Ukraine slowly recedes, priests received permission on May 22 to again hold services and visit the sick. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
“Our church was clean before the pandemic. And it’s clean during the pandemic. We respect our people. We want everyone to be healthy,” Gasynets said. "We want them to believe that in the house of God, Jesus Christ, Holy Church, everything is clean.”
Regulations to prevent the spread of the virus widened a religious fault line in Ukraine. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Greek Catholic Church complied with government restrictions on holding services. But the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, resisted.
After the Russia-linked church allowed people to attend Easter services, authorities filed criminal cases against five priests. If convicted, they face prison sentences of up to eight years. At the church's world-renowned Pechersk Monastery in Kyiv, more than 100 clerics were infected with the virus, and at least three died.
In this photo taken on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Father Yaroslav Rokhman, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, wearing protective gear to protect against coronavirus, seals to Galina Shamineva, 34, right, dying of cancer, at a hospice in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Rokhman, a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased to be able to return to performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip on Ukraine slowly recedes, priests received permission on May 22 to again hold services and visit the sick. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
Ukrainian authorities reported 393 new confirmed cases on Saturday, down from some 500 new cases a day earlier in May. The country has recorded a total of more than 23,000 confirmed cases and 696 deaths.
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
In this photo taken on Thursday, May 28, 2020, Father Yaroslav Rokhman, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, wearing protective gear to protect against coronavirus, blesses a patient at a hospice in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Rokhman, a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is pleased to be able to return to performing one of a cleric's most heartfelt duties. As the coronavirus pandemic's grip on Ukraine slowly recedes, priests received permission on May 22 to again hold services and visit the sick. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, believers, some wearing face masks, attend a Mass conducting by Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest conducts a religion service at the church in Chernivtsi. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, center back to a camera, conducts a religion service during Anatoliy Megeden and Svetlana Megeden wedding ceremony at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Father Vasyl Gasynets, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, right, conducts a religion service while Anatoliy Megeden and Svetlana Megeden swearing on the Holy Bible during their wedding ceremony at a church in Chernivtsi. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
In this photo taken on Sunday, May 24, 2020, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priest, Father Vasyl Gasynets distributes Holy Communion during Sunday Mass at a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Gasynets has returned to conducting services at his Greek Catholic church in priestly raiment, but wearing a mask while distributing communion. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)