St. George Catholic Church hosted a prayer service and candlelight vigil on April 4 for those who perished in the Ukraine.
Photo by Dean Moses
The East Village’s Little Ukraine played host to a powerful vigil Tuesday night in remembrance of those who have died in Ukraine.
Known as the “Bucha” massacre, the images flooding in from the sovereign Eastern European country have left the world sickened by the inhumane reality of the war. On April 5, St. George Catholic Church welcomed mourners for a candlelight vigil as they prayed for those taken far too soon.
“It is a vigil for those who were killed in Ukraine,” Arthur Zgurov, a Ukrainian activist said. “It is hard, but we have to keep up, we have to fill in this emptiness that is in ourselves.”
Parishioners were handed candles before they sang and prayed together. Some were shrouded in the Ukrainian flag while others clung to rosaries. The emotion was too much for many partaking in the service, leaving them weeping.
“It’s hard to realize now, but I still hope for the best, I still hope for humanity because it’s in our hands to make a better future,” Zgurov said.
Ex-Brit turned Manhattan resident since 2008.