Memorial services for Stefan Romaniw were held around the world

The commemoration of Stefan Romaniw, an inspiration and leader of the global Ukrainian community, has taken place in a number of countries around the world. 40 days have passed since tragic news broke of the prominent Ukrainian’s untimely death.

Over 20 memorial services were organized around Australia and in several Australian cities, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) has reported. The liturgy and memorial service were held in the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), Melbourne. The service was also held at the Parish of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, UGCC, Geelong and in Canberra at St. Volodymyr’s UGCC.

A Divine Liturgy and Panakhyda in Stefan Romaniw’s memory were held today at the parish of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in São Paulo, Brazil.

Father Josaphat and Jorge Rybka, the President of the “Tovarystvo Sobornist,” were thanked for their assistance in organizing the memorial event.

During the service, UWC President Paul Grod reflected on Stefan Romaniw’s influential life and affirmed that his legacy will be forever remembered.

A memorial service was conducted at St. Basil the Great Church in Kyiv, which is the very place Stefan Romaniw chose to pray, during all of his visits to the capital.

Following the Panachyda, the family of Stefan Romaniw received the Knight of the Great Heart award on his behalf, from the international platform “Thank You with My Heart”.

“We know what a huge heart Stefan had. His heart must have been the size of the sun, because he warmed the entire Ukrainian global community,” Halyna Symkha, the platform founder, eulogized in her address to the congregation.

Ukrainians in Greece also offered their prayers for the peaceful repose of Stefan Romaniw’s soul. The service was held in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of the Catholic Church for the faithful of the Byzantine rite in Greece.

The memorial service in Athens was conducted by the abbot of the Ukrainian church community of St. Nicholas, Fr. Igor Posolenyk. Halyna Masliuk, head of the Ukrainian community in Greece told the audience about the identity of the Ukrainian leader Stefan Romaniw.

The Stafan Romaniw Ukrainian Sunday school, under the association “Ukrainian-Greek Thought” posted a moving message:  “Millions of Ukrainians bow their heads today, honoring his memory, and give their word to continue our work until we definitely get the result that the Ukrainian people deserve, which has been paying with blood for centuries in the fight for Freedom and Democracy,” they wrote.

Stefan Romaniw passed away suddenly on June 26, 2024. Since then, thousands of messages from Ukrainians, friends of Ukraine, international organizations and various communities have appeared on-line, in the mainstream media as well as in official letters of tribute.

Eternal and bright memory to Stefan Romaniw…