“We especially need it now”

On the eve of December 17 members of Plast passed the Bethlehem Fire of Peace to Lviv mayor Andrii Sadovy. “This fire cleans and warms up, it is especially needed now, in such a complicated time for Ukraine,” the head of the city mentioned during the ceremony of passing the fire. “It is very pleasant for me that our youth follows the good tradition of bringing this fire to Ukraine, for when young people are united, they do wonderful and noble things. I am sincerely convinced that we will be able to build a country where we want to live, and this fire and God’s blessing will help us.”

The Bethlehem Fire was passed to young people who gathered in the Dominican Church and later was brought to the Lviv Euromaidan – to Kobzar Monument.

It will be reminded that the Bethlehem fire of peace if an annual international scout event dedicated to Christmas and aimed at spreading the symbolic fire, which was lit on the place of Jesus Christ’s birth. For the first time the fire came to Ukraine 22 years ago – in 1992, and it was a private initiative of Plast members.

Since 1998 Plast has been every year officially passing the fire, which is a symbol of warmth, peace, and harmony, from city to city. It is obligatorily brought to churches, schools, orphanages, and hospitals and kept till the Jordan River.