On November 22, our parish community gathered in prayer to honor the memory of the victims of the Holodomor. After the Divine Liturgy, we celebrated a memorial service (panakhyda) for all those who were innocently killed during the years of man-made famine in Ukraine. We prayed for those whose names were erased along with their lives, yet who remain forever alive in the memory of our people.
In his reflection, Fr. Roman Bobesiuk reminded us that every person will one day stand before God and answer for their actions, for the final word always belongs to Him. Christians, however, are not called to live in fear—we are called to do good, to defend the truth, and to build a part of God’s Kingdom here on earth. Where there is truth, there is the presence of the Lord, who has conquered evil and brings light even into the deepest darkness.
In praying for the victims of the Holodomor, we asked God for mercy for their souls, healing for our nation, and peace for Ukraine, so that such a tragedy would never again come from human hands. May the memory of the innocent strengthen us in doing good.
Eternal Memory.
