By Melodie Woerman
Washington National Cathedral on Sunday, July 9, marked 500 days since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a prayer service that included remarks by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States and participation of Ukrainian clergy, singers and readers.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and fighting has continued since then with no clear end in sight. At least 350,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been injured or killed in the fighting, according to U.S. estimates, and the war has killed or injured more than 24,000 civilians, according to the United Nations.
General Convention last July adopted a resolution condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and called for Russian leaders to end it, asked for just treatment of all refugees and called upon all in authority to “labor without ceasing to bring a swift and just end to this conflict, and a restoration of Ukraine’s independence and autonomy under conditions of tranquility.”
The cathedral service, which saw hundreds of worshippers inside the cathedral and several hundred more watching the livestream, was led by the cathedral’s provost, the Rev. Jan Naylor Cope. Assisting were the Rev. Volodymyr Steliac, dean of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, Md.; and the Rev. Robert Hitchens, administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, D.C. Musicians included singers from all three churches, and flags of both the United States and Ukraine were on the platform where clergy were seated.
In her remarks, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova thanked the cathedral for offering the opportunity for worshippers to pray “for a just peace in our beloved country.”
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