Hundreds attend rally for Ukraine in Montgomery County

BRIDGEPORT, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- More than a hundred people gathered in Montgomery County Sunday morning for a rally in support of Ukraine.

The rally was held at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bridgeport, a center point for the Ukrainian community there for decades. Neighbors stressed how much the support means to them.

"We want to give our people here a chance to express themselves in prayer because we are praying people," said Father Ronald Popivchak, who has served the Ukrainian community in Bridgeport for over 50 years.

He said it's important for his people to have an outlet.

"We want to tell them, as loud as we can, that we're with them, love them, and didn't forget them," he said.

Draped in flags and carrying signs, Ukrainian-Americans said as they stood at the rally, they were also standing with their home country.

Lauren Groff said she was thinking of her family currently in a bomb shelter.

"This is just so unfair to the Ukrainian people that had their freedom for so many years and it's just taken away from them," said Groff, who now lives in King of Prussia.

At the rally she heard from local leaders and politicians too, like Congresswomen Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

"We want a life with dignity, we want to see and kiss our children," Congresswoman Dean told the crowd.

Thinking of her family on the frontline of war, Natalia Symoni said the emotion is hard to contain.

"I am from Ukraine, my family is from Ukraine. I was born in Ukraine. I support my country," she said.

Popivchak said the church will also be collecting money for Ukrainian refugees. He will accept donations for the next week and they will be sent to refugees currently in Poland.