Ukrainians in Canada honor memory of Ukraine’s freedom fighters

The Ukrainian community and newly arrived Ukrainians in Canada paid tribute to the generations of warriors for Ukraine’s freedom and independence. More than two hundred people gathered at the symbolic mass grave of the heroes in Winnipeg – “the first Sich Rifemen’s Grave in Canada,” which was built and consecrated in 1936 by the future first President of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, Msgr. Dr. Vasyl Kushnir. Those present remembered all the fallen fighters with a prayer, reported the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Volodymyr and Olha.

“On the Green Holidays, the Ukrainian community gathered at the parish Cemetery of All Saints at the symbolic mass grave of the Heroes to prayerfully remember those who fought to the death, protecting their native land and sprinkled it with their blood,” priests said.

Ukrainians brought portraits of new heroes of the Russian-Ukrainian war. In particular, Andriy Sidorchenko died at the front in early May; Andriy’s son, who immigrated to Canada with his mother, Hanna, held his hero father’s photograph. 

“Andriy Sidorchenko (1988-2023) dreamed of one day immigrating to Canada but put that dream aside last year to answer the call to defend Ukraine following russia’s full-scale invasion,” the event organizers explained.

The commemoration event goers also remembered the Canadians who gave their lives fighting for Ukraine: Émile Antoine Roy Sirois, Joseph Hildebrand, Hryhoriy Tsekhmistrenko, Kyle Porter, and Cole Zelenko.

“The eyes of the newest Ukrainian Heroes, who died in a full-scale war and are now protecting [Ukraine] from the sky, were looking at those present from the portraits. We thank everyone who showed their solidarity and public activism,” the initiators of the commemoration event concluded.

It is symbolic that back in 1936, during the consecration of the grave, Fr. Vasyl Kushnir spoke words that still resonate with Ukrainians today:

“Throughout the history of mankind, nations have had their sons-heroes, who laid down their lives for their homeland. And our Ukrainian people have such heroes, fighters for the freedom of their native land. For all those who fell in uneven battle on land, and sea, in the air, and on the ground, for all those who defended the sanctity of our homes and our families, we dedicate this mass grave. All of these fallen heroes soared to high heaven to bring their people the freedom they had longed for across the centuries. Nothing could deter their mighty and heroic flight. The memory of the captivity in which our people languished for centuries made them stronger. We smiled in the hope that our people would become free, alongside other nation states. That hope, like a meteor, only flashed before our eyes, and our people fell into even worse captivity.”

“It was at the apex of their flight that our brave riflemen were shot through their wings, and the wild enemy hordes rushed in, from all sides, to share in the spoils. We fell in battle, but we did not lose, because anyone can lose an uneven battle, but only the loser loses the war. Let this grave, erected in honor of our fallen warriors, serve as a lesson for generations to come, a lesson in faith, of love of the Almighty Creator, and of His people, the lesson of devoting oneself, even if that means making the greatest sacrifice, for that is the fire that burned in our chivalrous soldiers’ hearts in the face of their heroic deaths on the battlefields of glory. Our path is clear. We dare not deviate from it for a minute. This cross raised over the grave of our fallen fighters [represents] their slanted birch crosses, their strewn bones, and the blood spilled by those who died for Ukraine.”

Today, 87 years have passed since the speech of Msgr. Dr. Vasyl Kushnir, but his words seem to be spoken about the present. Eternal memory to all fighters for the freedom of Ukraine and its defenders!