Ukrainians celebrate Orthodox Easter with different mood this year
"Everybody knows that Ukraine will stand tall and overcome her awful adversary," said Ulana Mazurkevich.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Many Ukrainian-Americans observing Orthodox Easter Sunday were not as celebratory as in years past as their homeland still faces threats by Russian invaders.
Ukrainians gathered at the Philadelphia Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with a lot on their minds.
"This joy has been overshadowed in many families by the tragedy that is going on in Ukraine," said Ulana Mazurkevich, president of Ukrainian Human Rights Committee.
Mazurkevich says whether Ukrainians celebrated Easter last Sunday or this Sunday, the meaning of the holiday has become a reality for them.
"With death and tragedy and suffering, there's always resurrection," said Mazurkevich. "Ukrainians strongly believe in that. There is suffering, but there will be a resurrection. So when Ukrainians greet each other this Easter season, what they generally say is Christ has risen, Ukraine will rise, and that goes all over the world."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine also shared an Easter message with the world saying light will win over darkness.
It's a message that has been heard in many Ukrainian homes in Philadelphia.
"Everybody knows that Ukraine will stand tall and overcome her awful adversary," said Mazurkevich.
