Catholic Archbishop Metropolitan Zbigņevs Stankevičs, in a homily delivered last night at the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Aglona, addressed today’s climate of insecurity and the demographic crisis, pointing to shortcomings in state policy.
According to church representatives, in the introduction to his address the Archbishop referred to the results of the Spring 2025 Eurobarometer survey, which showed that, in the opinion of Latvian citizens, the most important issues the European Union should address are Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and security matters, followed by immigration and the rising cost of living. As for the country’s most pressing challenges, people highlighted the cost of living and inflation, as well as the need for greater support for public health.
Stankevičs observed that Latvians are burdened by uncertainty about the future. This insecurity, he said, is reflected in both youth suicides and the reluctance to commit to long-term responsibilities such as marriage, passing on life, and building a family.
In a situation dominated by uncertainty, the Archbishop invoked the words of Jesus, saying that “man must return to the truth about man and God” in order to attain freedom.
Stankevičs stressed that God created human beings
“with a mission and a calling, equipped with talents and abilities, with the necessary potential to carry out that mission.”
He said: “In the Creator’s plan, the family appears as the primary place for the humanization of the person and of society, and as the cradle of life and love.” The Archbishop declared that “Christ’s message on marriage and the family must remain unaltered at a time when so many cultural, social, and political factors are leading to an ever-deepening crisis of the traditional family model.”
In his interpretation, one of the key words when speaking about the family could be simplicity—“a simple family, with a father, a mother, and children. Simple, not complicated, where the number of spouses is confused, where it’s no longer possible to tell which child belongs to which family arrangement, or even to distinguish who is the father and who is the mother.”
The Archbishop also addressed the issue of youth suicides, saying these reflect that young people have not been heard in time or given the support they need—whether in the family, school, or workplace. He emphasized that the education system should instill in young people an awareness of the importance of family and the people around them, and how vital it is to be there for one another and to offer support.
“The future of Latvia depends on whether the family will be strengthened.
The state’s duty is to ensure that every member of our society has the opportunity for full personal development and flourishing—physically, mentally, and spiritually. This means supporting various programs and initiatives that prepare people for family life and help them conceive and raise children,” the clergyman said.
He urged parishes to create child-friendly environments by organizing children’s camps and ensuring parishioners’ support for mothers with young children.
“Latvia’s demographic indicators show that our country’s fundamental settings—in education, politics, and culture—have suffered flaws that require correction. They show that politics and the economy have not been freed from greed, ambition, and self-interest. What is needed to change this tradition and once again open our country to the presence of the Risen Christ, so that we become capable of acting in accordance with what we recognize as good? (…) When a person encounters Christ, who is alive and risen, an inner strength appears to live according to the truth that is in one’s conscience—and the conscience itself is enlightened. Without Christ, both individuals and entire nations and states become entangled in their own internal compromises,” Stankevičs said.
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