Sisters of Saint Basil the Great Support Ukraine’s Struggle for Democracy & Human Dignity

December 11, 2013: At the invitation of Dr. Zenia Chernyk, an active leader and advocate championing the needs of Ukrainian people, especially the ailing invited the Sisters to participate in a special conference held at the Raynburn Building (The Rayburn House Office Building is a congressional office building for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., between South Capitol Street and First Street.), to inform the government officials of Ukrainian people’s fight for democratic government free of Russia. Sister Maria Rozmarynowycz joined Dr. Zeniak Chernyk, Vera Andrejchuk and Taras Lewyckij on this Washington trip. At this meeting former Ambassodors to Kiev spoke on the situation in Ukraine, Ukrainian political leaders and experts presented varying viewpoints of the situation and some ideas for putting pressure on US government to help in reaching a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The night of the 11th ten demonstrators lost their lives. DC Rally

Sister Ann Laszok participated in a Divine Liturgy offered for a peaceful resolution of the struggle for democratic and just government in Ukraine. The service was offered at St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church | 5600 N Colony Blvd The Colony, TX.

Sister Dorothy Ann Busowski, Provincial Superior keeps Sisters informed sending articles via e-mail. The Sisters have added their voices in support of Ukraine’s struggle during their Divine Office prayers.

Sunday, January 26, 2014 Sisters Laura Palka, Sisters Maria Rozmarynowycz and Jelysaveta Vepruk attended Shchedryj Vechir dinner at the Ukrainian Cultural Center. The Acolada Choir from Saint Michael the Archangel sang a number of carols. Four young people who had been on the Maidan spoke updating the participants of the situation.

At 2:30 p.m. a "Protest Cavalcade" called the "Automaidan in Philadelphia" was held to respond to the current events in Ukraine. A procession of some 250 cars decorated with Ukrainian flags and colors of blue and gold left the Ukrainian Center to manifest their concern for Ukraine by driving down Broad Street to center city and then gathering at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral for Moleben and Panachyda. Metropolitan Stefan Soroka spoke. The event ended around six o’clock in the evening.

February 13, 2014 – Sisters Maria Rozmarynowycz and Jelysaveta Vepruk attended Divine Liturgy and Panachyda at Saint Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, Jenkintown PA, offered for the six fallen heroes of Maidan in Kiev, Ukraine.

Sisters Maria Rozmarynowycz and Jelysaveta Vepruk attended Divine Liturgy at the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Jenkintown PA, in solidarity with the people on the Maydans throughout Ukraine. After the Liturgy a Panachyda was offered for the fallen heroes of Maydan in Kyiev and in other cities of Ukraine. Fathers Ivan Demkiv, Ihor Royik and Volodymyr Kostiuk concelebrated. Each of them gave a short homily encouraging the people and assuring them that God has all in His hands and that good will overcome evil. Afterwards everyone prayed the Chaplet of Mercy for peace and cessation of violence against the originally peaceful demonstrators.

February 20, 2014 Sisters learned that there are Basilian Sisters assisting the wounded in Maidan and they cannot leave even to rest because anyone who tries to leave is shot.

February 21, 2014 Sisters Maria Rozmarynowycz and Jelysaveta Vepruk were present at the Ukrainian Cultural Center for Serhiy Leshchenko’s presentation entiled, “Ukraine: From the Orange Revolution up to the Revolution for Dignity. Mr. Leshchenko is the junior co-editor of the internet publication "Ukrainian Reality" situated in Washington, D.C. from October 2013 as a participant of the Reagan-Fascell Fellowship & National Endowment for Democracy. He is also the author of numerous investigations of abuses by Viktor Yanukovich, his family and his entourage. He was the first to release photo images of Yanukoviches Meshyhirya published in 2013 under the title "American Saga of Paul Lazarenko."

During the lecture he analyzed the ten-year political process in Ukraine which became the premise for the present revolutionary actions in Ukraine. He tried to give a prognosis of further evolution of Euro-Maidan.

At the beginning of the presentation, Dr. Zenia Chernyk updated the audience on the humanitarian work of the Ukrainian-Ameriacan Federation. Doctors without Borders have been tending the wounded. Planes carry the seriously wounded to Lviv, Ukraine; Warsaw, Poland; Germany; Lithuania where the wounded are treated for free. Shipments of medications is organized. A special medical plane equipped with an emergency room, doctors and nurses was ordered to take those unable to even be transported by regular planes because of trauma especially to the head. Over a $100,000 is needed to pay for fuel. Arrangements were made to transport some of the seriously wounded to be treated at various hospitals who would treat one wounded each for free. Families are asked to take one person for longer periods of recuperation after the patient’s release from the hospitals.

Saturday, February 22 in response to Dr. Chernyk’s appeal for assistance Sister donated $630.00 and the Jesus Lover of Humanity Province gave $500.00 for treatment of the wounded.

Since February 22, 2014 with Sister Laura Palka's initiative, Sisters have joined in a short prayer for a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Ukraine in the second floor chapel at 2:00 p.m..