70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAMINE-GENOCIDE: Virginians hold commemoration

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Ukrainians from the Hampton Roads cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and other cities that make up the Tidewater Ukrainian Cultural Association (TUCA), gathered on November 22 to commemorate the tragedy of the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933 in Ukraine.

The commemoration was held at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach. Following a brief reception, during which participants deposited food into food bank containers and received black satin ribbons, the award-winning documentary "Harvest of Despair" was shown on a wide screen.

Michael Luciw presented the Ukrainian flag and three ceremonial candles were lit by members of the Holodomor Program Committee: Nadia Hoots, Andy Grynewytsch and Olga Luciw. Program speakers included Olena C. Boyko, the first president of TUCA, and Dr. Tom Krop, former president, who read House of Representatives Resolution 356 about the Great Famine. Other committee members included Olena Boyko, Wolodymyr Melnitchouk and Anna Makhorkina.

A bandura music interlude followed, and Dr. Olga Maria Cehelska, director of the program "Echoes of Ukraine," sang a bilingual version of Shevchenko's "My Pensive Thought." The audience, many of them non-Ukrainians, were also introduced to the mournful melody of "Vichnaya Pamiat."

Following the bandura interlude, the participants moved into the sanctuary of the church, where the Rev. Taras Lonchyna of the Holy Trinity Particular Ukrainian Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Md., celebrated the holy requiem liturgy and panakhyda.

Participants, Ukrainians and Americans alike, held lighted candles throughout the panakhyda dedicated to the countless millions who were executed by hunger 70 years ago.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 28, 2003, No. 52, Vol. LXXI

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