TROY, N.Y. – The Capital District’s Ukrainian American community members gathered here at Taras Shevchenko Place on Sunday, August 23, to celebrate Ukraine’s 24th Independence Day. The celebration consisted of prayers for peace and remembrance, and a flag-raising ceremony.
Troy is the birthplace of the earliest immigration to New York State’s Capital District, surrounding Albany, in the late 1800s. Taras Shevchenko Place is a park in the City of Troy.
The Independence Day celebration was organized by St. Nicholas Brotherhood Society (Bratstvo)/Ukrainian National Association Branch 13 and the Ukrainian American Cultural Center, both located in Watervliet, N.Y., across the Hudson River from Troy. Prior to the celebration, Bratstvo members cleaned the monument to Shevchenko and the surrounding park. The cultural center purchased a new flag that was raised at the celebratory event.
Prayers were led by the Revs. Vladimir Marusceac of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Cohoes, Mikhail Myshchuk of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Watervliet and the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Troy, and Vasyl Dovhan of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Troy.
The next day, August 24 Ukrainian clergy and leaders of Ukrainian American organizations based in Watervliet met with Mayor Michael Manning. Konstantyn Vorona, vice-consul of Ukraine in New York City, joined local organization leaders at the flag-raising next to Watervliet City Hall.
Ukrainian Americans of the Capital District gather at the Taras Shevchenko Place in Troy, N.Y.