World bids farewell to Stefan Romaniw

The global Ukrainian community solemnly bid farewell to Stefan Romaniw, a distinguished leader, inspirer, and advocate, at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in North Melbourne.

In the morning, the cathedral, decorated with vibrant flowers, brought together Stefan Romaniw’s closest friends, family, colleagues, and followers. Despite the sorrow of their loss, each person shared expressions of gratitude and deep affection for a man who became a symbol of Ukrainian identity and dedication to thousands worldwide.

“The pain we are feeling is excruciating. And we know it will never completely subside, but it won’t break us. We all know we can’t control how much time we have on this Earth. But we can control what we do with this time. And you didn’t waste any of yours. As we’ve heard today and seen over the last couple of weeks, your list of accomplishments is remarkable. You even more extraordinary that we thought,” said Peter Romaniw, son of Stefan Romaniw.

“We have lost a great Ukrainian, a leader of the Ukrainian nation, a leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Stefan was a man with a big heart, a heart filled with love. Above all, love for his family—his wife, children, and grandchildren. He was a leader, a true guide whom millions of Ukrainians looked up to. And at a time when Russia attacked Ukraine, when Ukraine was forced to defend itself, he was one of those who helped forge a global front against the aggressor,” said Oleh Medunytsia, Head of the OUN.

Also in attendance at the farewell were Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister of Australia; Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler, UWC Vice President for Oceania and Asia; Andrij Dobriansky, Director of Communications of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America; and Yevheniy Semenov, UWC Vice President for Middle East and Central Asia.

Stefan Romaniw was also commemorated in Kyiv with a memorial Divine Liturgy and a memorial gathering at St. Basil the Great Church.

During the State Memorial service, Ukrainian defenders honored Stefan Romaniw by firing an honorary salute to recognize his significant contributions to the fight for Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.

In remembrance of his blessed life, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) invites everyone to dedicate a moment for prayer, light a candle, and participate in the Divine Liturgy. We also encourage sharing tributes or memories on social media using the hashtag #StefanRomaniw.

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) has established an online memorial board to celebrate Stefan Romaniw’s legacy. We invite all who knew him to contribute their memories and photos via the link provided.

The tragic news of the untimely passing of prominent Ukrainian figure Stefan Romaniw arrived on the morning of June 26. Since then, thousands of messages have appeared across social media, the press, official letters from Ukrainians, friends of Ukraine, international organizations, and communities. 

Eternal and bright memory to Stefan Romaniw.