South Bound Brook/Somerset, NJ – On August 24, 2025, the sacred temple of Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church - the sacred temple built in memory of the millions of innocents starved to death during the genocidal Holodomor famine of 1932–1933 - became once more a sanctuary of prayer, memory, and indestructible hope.

On this day, the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA gathered in overwhelming numbers to mark the 34th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence. Their prayers rose as incense before God, mingling with tears, as they cried for peace and freedom in the land of their ancestors.

The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, with the blessing and presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, the Prime Hierarch of the UOC of the USA. They were joined by Very Rev. Fr. Vasyl Pasakas, pastor of the Memorial Church, along with Protopresbyter Yurii Siwko, Rev. Fr. Ivan Lyszyk, Rev. Fr. David Chidczoki, Protodeacon Pavlo Vysotskyi, and Deacon Sergii Khomytskyi. The seminarian of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary served alongside the hierarch, as living witnesses that the torch of faith will be carried forward to future generations.

The church was filled with men, women, and children - descendants of immigrants, newly arrived refugees, parishioners whose family names are carved into the marble of Ukrainian history, and countless souls whose hearts beat in unison with the suffering and courage of the Ukrainian nation.

After the solemn chanting of the Gospel, Archbishop Daniel rose to deliver a homily that pierced the hearts of all present. With his voice trembling with emotion yet firm in conviction, he proclaimed:

“My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiveness is not a suggestion - it is the breath of the Christian soul. To forgive is to live as Christ lived. To forgive is to resist becoming like those who hate us. To forgive is to remain human, to remain holy, to remain Christ’s own people. Even when the world mocks us, even when the enemy seeks to crush us, we forgive - not to excuse evil, but to free ourselves from its chains.”

The Archbishop recalled the example of Ukrainian women serving in the armed forces, especially those of the medical corps: “Look at the women of Ukraine, serving as nurses and doctors on the frontlines. They bind the wounds not only of our defenders, but even of captured Russian soldiers. They treat them not as enemies but as human beings. This is forgiveness. This is the triumph of the human heart over barbarity. This is Orthodoxy lived to its fullest measure.”

He then lifted his gaze over the congregation and declared: “My beloved brethren, do not be afraid of the power of hatred that seeks to consume us. For every act of cruelty, let us multiply acts of compassion. For every tear shed by a child, let us offer prayers and good works. For every life cut down by violence, let us sow seeds of love and eternity. Ukraine lives, because Christ is risen! Ukraine breathes, because forgiveness is stronger than vengeance. Ukraine will triumph, because truth always prevails!”

The silence that followed was filled with quiet sobs and bowed heads, as the faithful clutched their prayer books and wept.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the faithful gathered in the nave carrying five Ukrainian flags, blue and yellow, radiant with the sky of peace and the golden fields of wheat. Yet these flags bore something even greater: the handwritten signatures of Ukrainian soldiers - wounded warriors, defenders, and martyrs who laid down their lives for their people. Some names belonged to the living, others to those who had perished, and still others to soldiers who continue to languish in captivity.

As the congregation held these banners aloft, Archbishop Daniel descended from the altar. Standing before the flags, he stretched out his hands and intoned a prayer that resounded through every corner of the sacred temple: “Lord of mercy and justice, look upon these flags, signed with the blood and hope of Your children. Accept them as an offering from a nation that suffers, but does not perish. Accept them as a covenant between heaven and earth, between the sacrifice of Your Son and the sacrifice of Ukraine’s martyrs. Protect Ukraine, O Lord, heal her wounds, strengthen her defenders, and crown her with the victory of truth and freedom!”

Tears rolled down the cheeks of men and women, children and elders alike. Even the Archbishop himself paused, his voice breaking under the weight of shared grief, as he whispered: “These flags are no longer cloth - they are icons of sacrifice, relics of our people’s love, testimonies written not with ink but with pain and with hope.”

The moment culminated when Archbishop Daniel lifted each flag with reverence and carried them into the holy sanctuary, placing them upon the second altar as an offering to God. As he did so, the faithful spontaneously began to sing “Shche ne vmerla Ukraina” (Ukraine Has Not Perished Yet) – the national anthem of Ukraine.

Their voices cracked with emotion, yet grew stronger with each verse, until the hymn shook the very foundations of the Memorial Church. The holy space, built upon the memory of the victims of the Holodomor, became once again a cry of defiance, a proclamation of life in the face of death.

Metropolitan Antony, standing prayerfully in the sanctuary, was visibly moved as he blessed the faithful. Beside him, Archbishop Daniel, his eyes filled with tears, turned to the people and proclaimed: “Never forget: the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. The soul of Ukraine cannot be crushed. Our faith cannot be silenced. Our people cannot be destroyed. Ukraine is immortal because her faith is eternal.”

Adding to the solemnity of the day was the reading of a proclamation by Governor Phil Murphy, declaring August 24, 2025, Ukrainian Independence Day in the State of New Jersey. His words, honoring the sacrifices of Ukrainians who fought not only for their homeland but alongside American and NATO forces across the world, gave voice to the solidarity between nations that treasure freedom.

The faithful applauded through tears, sensing in this proclamation not only political recognition, but the affirmation of their suffering and the nobility of their cause.

The day also brought joy as the community celebrated the 40th birthday of their pastor, Very Rev. Fr. Vasyl Pasakas. With roses presented by a seminarian and words of love from Archbishop Daniel, the faithful rejoiced in the shepherd whom God had placed among them. “Father Vasyl,” Archbishop Daniel said, “you are a spiritual father, a protector, a servant, and a brother. Today we rejoice not only in your birth, but in your ministry. May God grant you many, many years to serve this holy flock and to inspire generations yet to come.”

In closing, the Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA reminds the faithful: “Independence is more than freedom from earthly chains - it is the gift of God who calls us to live in truth and dignity. We commemorate Ukraine’s freedom not only with flags and songs, but with prayers, with works of mercy, and with unbreakable faith that God is with us.”

The 34th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence at Saint Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church was not merely a commemoration. It was a sacred encounter between heaven and earth, where tears became prayers, prayers became songs, and songs became proclamations of eternal hope.

As Archbishop Daniel declared in his final words: “My beloved children in Christ, do not despair. Do not grow weary. For Ukraine’s freedom is not written in the treaties of men, but in the hands of the Living God. Stand firm in faith, remain steadfast in love, and know this truth: Ukraine shall live, because Christ lives in her. Ukraine shall rise, because Christ has risen. Ukraine shall never die, because God Himself is her strength.”

And so, the faithful left the Memorial Church with hearts heavy yet uplifted, carrying the radiant flame of faith into a world still darkened by war, proclaiming with unshakable conviction:

“God bless Ukraine!

God bless America!

May Christ, the Prince of Peace, reign in every heart and every land!”