«My Brazilian blood is being pumped by my Ukrainian heart»: how a priest from another continent became a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukraine’s first foreign chaplain

Instead of a Brazilian church with worshippers, there are homemade altars in the middle of a garden riddled with wreckage. This is the path chosen by Macarius Lewis, a Brazilian who decided to go to Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and serve there, either as a priest or a combat medic. The decision was made instantly — at the same time as a column of tanks was advancing to break through the border and the first missiles hit Ukrainian homes with small children sleeping.

In an interview with «Vchasno», Macarius admits that sometimes even experienced soldiers who have had combat experience in other wars are not prepared for what awaits them in Ukraine. The level of russian brutality and violation of the Geneva Conventions horrifies many people. He explains to all foreign recruits during his services that they have made a difficult decision, and to uphold their honour, they need to defend Ukraine as if they were defending their own home and families from murderers.

«russians know a lot of lies and propaganda, but they don’t know the real history of their own country»

While men in Ukraine were joining the ranks of the territorial defence and learning the business of war in battle, Lewis was confidently packing his bags for the province of Brazil. Serving in the army did not scare him — Macarius' father was a military officer in Brazil, and his grandfather was a sergeant in the British army in World War II.

«Weapons became a tradition in our family. My father, grandfather, and other men of my family stood up for themselves with weapons in their hands. I also knew that one day I would take up arms to defend, but I would not be wearing a Brazilian uniform», the chaplain admits.

Today Macarius Lewis is the only foreign chaplain in Ukraine. The man was born in the south of Brazil, in a village with a large Ukrainian diaspora. So he grew up surrounded by Ukrainians and knew about the clashes with the russians and what the Soviet Union was doing long before the full-scale invasion. That is why I had no doubt that russia would eventually attack Ukraine, as the top leadership of the federation had always been prepared for this and did not even hide its aggressive plans.

«Brazilians have always known that the Soviet Union did nothing good for Ukraine. I know the history well, I can tell it from the baptism of Rus to the present day. But to study both sides of the coin, I also studied the history of russia. So I know that even though russians think that Ukrainians descended from them, it’s actually the other way round: Ukrainians created russians. And, unfortunately, the population of the russian federation knows too many lies and propaganda, but does not know the true history of their own country», the man recalls.

His lifelong dream was to become a priest in the Ukrainian church. To achieve this, first he had to leave his province for Canada to receive training. After that, Macarius was forced to return home — his elderly parents needed care and support of their son. However, when the full-scale invasion began, the Brazilian realised that he had no more time to wait. It was his time. So, taking permission from his American mentor, he went to Ukraine to serve.

«Brazilians who went to defend Ukraine are greeted with honours upon their return»

The position of Brazil, where Father Macarius came from, remains neutral in the third year of the full-scale invasion. Despite the previous years of hostilities, which russia began in 2014, former President Jair Bolsonaro has taken a pro-russian stance. In particular, in July 2022, he stated that Ukraine should accept ‘the bitterness of defeat' and end the conflict, as Argentina did in the 1982 war with the UK over the Falklands.

Instead, Brazil’s new president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office in January 2023, said that his country would remain ‘neutral' on russia’s invasion, although he condemns it. However, after speaking with Vladimir Putin (who congratulated Lula on his presidency), the country’s leader announced: «Brazil is back and seeks dialogue with everyone, as well as world peace, without hunger».

However, in April 2023, he called on Ukraine to give Crimea to the russian federation to stop the war. And before that statement, he condemned the partner countries that supplied our army with defence weapons, calling such actions «prolonging the war». In addition, the Brazilian Foreign Minister also met with the russian foreign minister. In a conversation with him, he criticised western sanctions against russia.

Father Macarius explains to us: despite the position of the Brazilian authorities, its citizens consider the defence of Ukraine a matter of honour. That is why there are a lot of volunteers from this country — both those who jorned the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the first days of the invasion and those who joined the Ukrainian army recently.

«Most likely, the Brazilian authorities will not consider my act of serving in Ukraine as positive or noble. But I don’t care about that, because Brazilians honour those who went to defend Ukraine. Just like those who defended the world during the World War II, when Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers as an expeditionary force to the war. The Brazilian pision fought as a part of the US Army until the German forces surrendered. Since then, every year, the soldiers who were part of the Brazilian Division have been honoured and thanked for what they have done for the whole world. So now many Brazilians have come to defend freedom and peace — to do the same as the military did during the World War II», says the chaplain.

Father Macarius adds that being at war in Ukraine is not for everyone, even those with military experience. Sometimes guys come to him after the first battle, or when they have lost their comrades, and admit that they are shocked by what they have seen or experienced. Even experienced fighters are not prepared for the rhythm and ferocity of the fighting that is taking place. However, not to fight for Ukraine for its people and representatives of other countries means to leave it to be «carved up» by russia.

«To give away Ukrainian lands where the blood of Ukrainians and foreigners was shed is the same as to give the russian federation all the cards to seize the rest of the land. It’s like allowing it to go on», the Brazilian emphasises.

«I am proud that under my chaplain’s uniform I wear the uniform of a Ukrainian soldier»

Back in Brazil, Macarius Lewis did not know what to expect or who he would be in Ukraine. Since he came as a volunteer, he was placed in a training centre with other recruits. It was then that he told them he wanted to be a chaplain. At that time, he was told that he was not allowed to become a clergyman in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His dream seemed to be crumbling before his eyes. However, he did not refuse to serve — he decided to be a combat medic, as he had the appropriate education and even experience. He gained the latter while working as a medic in a fire station in Brazil. In addition to his medical education, he also has a degree in education, philology and psychology.

«I said at the time: „Okay, I’ll work as a military medic and devote my free time to serving as a chaplain“. So every day after training, I changed my military uniform into a priest’s uniform, gathered volunteers around me and conducted services for them. I even met several Ukrainian officers when one of them asked for a blessing», the clergyman recalls.

The dream of becoming a priest for the military came true in the 2nd International Legion — it was here that the decision was made to make Macarius Lewis, a Brazilian volunteer, officially the first foreign chaplain in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Recalling the day and the moment when he was handed the chevron with the inscription «chaplain», the man cannot hold back his tears: his lifelong dream came true.

«I cried then, as I do now. And when I officially became a chaplain, I promised to serve God, the Virgin Mary, Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. I chose the side of good and I will always be faithful to it… And I remember the first time I told my mother that I had gone to the war in Ukraine and was serving there. The words that my mother wrote to me made me cry too — she said that she was proud of me, of my actions, and that I was a real man», the Brazilian says.

Now, Father Macarius not only leads the service for the soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, but also helps in any way he can: unloads and loads vehicles, sometimes helps his comrades with translation — when they need something translated from Spanish into English or vice versa. He says that he does not shy away from any job, and no matter how hard it is, he would not trade his service in the army even for a comfortable Brazilian church.

«Being a chaplain is what fills my life. Every day I wake up, make my bed and pray. It is an honour for me to put on the uniform of a Ukrainian soldier. And when I conduct a service, I always wear the military uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under my priestly clothes. And I pray for peace and victory for Ukraine. Therefore, although my blood is not Ukrainian, it is a Ukrainian heart that pumps it, and a Ukrainian soul that fills it. And I am the happiest priest in the whole universe, because my dream of becoming a chaplain came true in Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine», Lewis says.

«Even experienced soldiers sometimes do not expect the rhythm and ferocity of the fighting that takes place here»

Today, in addition to his service, the Brazilian conducts educational talks with the recruits and legionnaires of the 2nd International: he tells the history of Ukraine and russia, compares them and explains how the neighbouring federation has been imposing its influence and oppressing Ukrainians for centuries. In his opinion, such conversations are mandatory for all foreigners who come to our country to defend it. He says that first of all, recruits should understand why they are here.

«Ukrainians have been treated dismissively and cruelly by russians for centuries. In addition, people were forcibly taken out of Ukraine, and the territories „liberated“ from them were populated by russians. Therefore, many of the population has russian roots. This is partly where the nostalgia for russia or the Soviet Union comes from. Although the Stockholm syndrome also played a role — when the victim begins to feel warm emotions towards the offender. Unfortunately, this happened to some Ukrainians. Therefore, the other side of the coin in russia’s attack is that perhaps this act of the enemy country will open people’s eyes to what russia is really doing to them, their lives and their homes», Father Macarius says.

For Lewis, the most incomprehensible thing is why, after a decade of war and in the third year of the most active phase of the invasion, Ukrainians continue to speak the language of the enemy. He says that this is unacceptable to him.

«When I hear Ukrainians sympathising with russians or speaking russian, the language of the enemy, I feel very sad every time. For example, my parents are Arabs, and no one will ever hear us speak Hebrew. So how can Ukrainians communicate in russian? How can there be a russian church in Ukraine? But this is why the words exist: „whoever does not want to learn through love will learn through pain“. Therefore, perhaps this is the path of pain for Ukrainians. Because russia did not have enough of the blood shed during the World War II, so it began to shed it again in Ukraine. This is a terrible sin for which russians will have to pray for forgiveness throughout their lives», the soldier says.

Father Macarius emphasises that after the war, no one should look at the aggressor country as «mother russia», and even more so, no one should want it here in Ukraine. The population of our country should have an unwavering love for their own country, culture, history and traditions.