Ukrainian Orthodox Church of USA Calls To Mark 80th Anniversary of Genocidal Holodomor in Ukraine
The Consistory Office of Public Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA published a press release on ‘March of Remembrance’ in New York City, Ecumenical Service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to kick-off 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Genocide in Ukraine.
The Consistory Office reported with reference to U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness 1932-33 that in the autumn of 2012, Ukrainians throughout the world will begin a yearlong commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Ukraine’s Genocide of 1932-1933, when up to ten million innocent victims were starved to death due to a deliberate Soviet policy designed to crush the nationally conscious Ukrainian peasantry. Two relevant factors make the 80th anniversary a unique opportunity to commemorate this event. First, documents previously held secret have been declassified and released and relate the genocidal nature of the famine. And, secondly, survivors and eyewitnesses who can provide a human-interest aspect to this story of the famine are still alive and prepared to tell their stories.
On Saturday, November 17, 2012, thousands of Ukrainian Americans will march in New York’s borough of Manhattan under banners proclaiming “Ukraine Remembers – The World Recognizes!” and “Holodomor - Genocide in Ukraine: 1932-1933,” thus commencing a year-long tribute to the victims of the Ukrainian Holodomor of 1932-1933. The March of Remembrance will begin at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church promptly at 10:30am and conclude at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where a solemn ecumenical requiem service will follow at 1pm. Previous March of Remembrances have been held in New York and other cities in the United States to raise awareness of the Ukrainian Holodomor within the American society.
Throughout the procession route, participants in the March of Remembrance will distribute brochures, which provide a brief overview and history of the Ukrainian Genocide of 1932-1933. Communities participating in the March of Remembrance are requested to bring signs and placards promoting recognition of the Ukrainian Holodomor.
The purpose of the March of Remembrance is to promote knowledge of the Holodomor and to share this knowledge with others. “During the March of Remembrance, we will remember the millions who died, and vow to do whatever we can to prevent such an atrocity from ever happening again. It is the first event in an effort to tell the story of the Ukrainians who perished during the Genocide of 1932-1933,” stated Tamara Olexy, President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA).
The March of Remembrance and the ecumenical service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral indicate the need for increased awareness of this seemingly unknown tragedy perpetrated by the Soviet regime. With thousands packing the pews in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, invited speakers to the memorial service include representatives from the United Nations, as well as U.S. and Ukrainian government officials. The hierarchs and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches will con-celebrate the solemn requiem service, while the “Dumka” Chorus of New York will sing the responses.
Michael Sawkiw, Jr., Chairman of the U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness 1932-33, also commented on continuous plans for “conferences and exhibits, and developing curricula for high schools and colleges to educate the world about the Holodomor, which are being proposed throughout the 80th commemorative year. We also hope to dedicate a Memorial in 2013 to the innocent victims of the Ukrainian Genocide of 1932-1933 – on federal land in Washington, D.C.” Additional information will be forthcoming about future activities and events.
