Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Commemoration of the Holodomor Victims in Melbourne
November 24, 2024
On the fourth Saturday of November, Ukrainians around the world commemorate the victims of the Holodomor. The clergy and faithful of the Cathedral Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne gathered together for prayer on this important day.
The memorial service was led by Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, together with the clergy of the Cathedral: Father Andriy Mykytyuk, administrator; Father Myroslav Vons, assistant priest; and Deacon Vasyl Motrichenko. Fr. Bohdan Vozniak, a priest of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), also joined the service.
Following the prayer, children in attendance lit symbolic candles in memory of all the innocent Ukrainians who were starved to death.
Afterward, Dr. Iryna Skubii delivered a lecture titled, “Famine consumed everything. We sold everything to the last thread.” The lecture highlighted one aspect of the Holodomor, focusing on the importance of material possessions for survival during that tragic period in Ukraine’s history.
In conclusion, Bishop Mykola Bychok thanked everyone present for their participation and reminded them that, just as more than 90 years ago, Russia continues to attempt the extermination of the Ukrainian people. He emphasized the importance of remembering and learning from the past.
“Today we have gathered to remember… so that we, as a nation, as those who live far away from Ukraine, carry this memory through our lives. And not only carry it forward, but also ensure we pass this memory, preserved in our hearts, to future generations. After all, memory is truth. If there is no memory, there is no truth,” Bishop Mykola summarised.
