On July 9th, Embassy of Ukraine in the USA in partnership with Washington National Cathedral held an ecumenical service dedicated to the 500th day of the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

In this moving service, presented in both English and Ukrainian, the public honored the fallen and prayed for victory.

The Provost of the Washington National Cathedral Jan Naylor Cope, the dean of Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Andrew Father Volodymyr Steliac, and the administrator of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, D.C, Father Robert Hitchens all led the service. 

Ambassador Oksana Markarova delivered a powerful speech and thanked all attendees for their continued support for Ukraine.

During the service, Lydia Chopivsky Benson, Iryna Halypa, Mykhailo Savkiv and Denys Sienik read the Holy Scripture in English and in Ukrainian. Father Steliac and Father Robert Hitchins delivered a

Litany for Peace in Ukraine and a Panachyda, a prayer for the dead, in both languages. Choirs from the Washington National Cathedral, the Ukrainian Cathedral of St. Andrew, and the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington D.C. participated in the service.

The service ended with the Ukrainian spiritual anthem “Prayer for Ukraine”, written by Mykola Lysenko. Hundreds of people watched and prayed for Ukraine either in person or online. We are deeply grateful to the American officials, representatives of the diplomatic corps, Ukrainian and American clergy, numerous Ukrainian communities and their leaders, as well as friends and supporters of Ukraine for their prayers, solidarity and support.