CANORA - On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a joint Panakhyda (prayer service) was held at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canora on Feb. 24 “to honour all fallen defenders and innocent civilians.”
Open to everyone in Canora and the surrounding area, the service was led by Fr. Yurii Obukh of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Fr. Ivan Simko of the Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, in both Ukrainian and English.
Fr. Yurii Obukh welcomed all those in attendance.
“Thank you for your presence today and for your prayers. This day is not a happy day for our motherland of Ukraine. This is not only a three-year war, it has been going on for close to 1,000 years.”
Fr. Ivan continued, adding that “This day marks a tragic and horrific anniversary – three years of brutal, genocidal war on Ukraine and her people at the hands of the Putin regime of the Russian Federation. It has been a time of great anxiety as we have witnessed devilish actions against the defenders of our ancestral homeland, Ukraine, and her innocent citizens who simply desire to exist in peace.
"Again we pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God: all defenders of Ukraine – members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine killed on the field of battle, and for our brothers and sisters – Ukrainian fathers, mothers, and children – innocent victims murdered throughout the satanic Russian aggression, and that they be pardoned all of their sins, both voluntary and involuntary.”
Following the service, all in attendance were invited to Rainbow Hall in Canora for a presentation by Fr. Yurii on the centuries-long history of Ukraine’s struggle for survival.
“The greatest challenge in this process has been the aggressive policies of state entities that emerged around Moscow,” he said. “This former remote periphery of Kyiv has systematically sought – and continues to seek – to subjugate its territories and people, imposing its own culture, language, historical narratives, and religious influence. Moscow-driven Russification, assimilation, repression, torture, and armed invasions have been key tools in the attempt to erase Ukrainian distinctiveness.
“Despite all of Moscow's efforts, Ukrainians have not only preserved but also strengthened their identity,” continued Fr. Yurii. “The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, which began in 2014, is yet another stage in this centuries-old struggle – a challenge that the Ukrainian people must once again overcome. This war is merely a tool for achieving Moscow's long-standing political goals through force.”
A widely accepted version of the origins of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow dates back to 1169 “when the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky seized and plundered Kyiv,” he said. “It was during this raid that the ancient icon of the Mother of God, known as the Vyshhorod Icon, was stolen and later renamed ‘The Vladimir Icon’ in Moscow's tradition.
“Over time, these ambitions and actions became systemic. For centuries, Moscow gradually constructed the myth of its ‘succession" from Kyivan Rus, using this claim as an ideological foundation for territorial expansion and the subjugation of the Kyiv Metropolis. This became the basis for Moscow's further claims not only to Ukrainian lands but also to Kyiv's cultural and religious heritage.”
The Ukrainian language came under attack, particularly through two significant decrees – the Valuev Circular (1863) and the Ems Ukaz (1876).
“These prohibited the use of Ukrainian in education, theater, publishing, official documentation, and public life,” said Fr. Yurii. “However, Ukrainian literature played a key role in reviving linguistic consciousness. Writers such as Ivan Kotliarevsky and Taras Shevchenko, followed by a generation of world-renowned poets and authors – Marko Vovchok, Lesia Ukrainka, Ivan Franko, and many others – contributed to the survival and development of the language, a tradition carried on by modem literary figures like Lina Kostenko, Oksana Zabuzhko and Yurii Andrukhovych.”
Early in the 20th century, Ukrainians, like many other nations, saw an opportunity to restore their statehood, said Fr. Yurii.
“However, both the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (ZUNR) were forced to resist the imperial ambitions of neighboring states. As a result, most Ukrainian ethnic lands became part of the Soviet Union, where they were subjected to harsh Russification and the suppression of national identity.”
The Soviet regime used a wide range of repressive measures in attempting to eradicate what made Ukraine unique: mass arrests, deportations, engineered famines, the destruction of the intelligentsia, and the eradication of any traces of Ukrainian distinctiveness.
“The mass repression against Ukrainian elites, including the imprisonment and assassination of writers, scholars, and artists, became particularly evident,” said Fr Yurii. Many of them were forced into exile, where they helped other Ukrainians keep in touch with their far-away homeland.
During this period, the Ukrainian Church attempted to restore its autonomy, said Father Yurii. But after the final loss of statehood, the Soviet government brutally suppressed the remnants of the Ukrainian ecclesiastical movement.
“One of the key figures in the struggle for national and religious independence was Ivan Ohienko, a minister in the UNR government and later a representative in exile. He played a crucial role in organizing church life in the Kholm region and, after emigrating to Canada, continued his pastoral and cultural-educational activities, becoming the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”
Father Yurii said at the beginning of the 20th century many Europeans believed that Ukrainians had lost their war for independence.
“However, within a century, neighboring European states – including those that once contributed to Ukraine's defeat – became victims of Soviet military aggression themselves. This confirmed that Moscow's expansionist policies were not limited to Ukraine but posed a threat to the entire region.
“After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine gained independence despite opposition from major world powers. However, Moscow did not cease its attempts to reclaim control.”
Prior to 2014, political conflicts and territorial disputes persisted between Ukraine and Russia, including:
1. The Tuzla Conflict (2003) – a crisis over a Russian-built dam in the Kerch Strait.
2. Political pressure and interference in Ukraine's internal affairs, notably during the 2004 Orange Revolution.
“These conflicts culminated in Russia's annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of war in 2014, an event many historians consider the beginning of Moscow's open aggression against Ukraine. The full-scale invasion in February 2022 was merely the next stage of escalation,” said Fr. Yurii.
“Despite many Ukrainians' disbelief that war was inevitable, Harvard professor Serhii Plokhii noted that history itself warned of its inevitability. While Ukraine may not have been fully prepared, its society demonstrated resilience and effective resistance.”
The full-scale invasion, accompanied by massive missile strikes and multidirectional offensives, poses an existential threat to Ukraine.
“However, historian Andrii Tsebenko observed that 2022 became the year when Ukrainians reclaimed their independence through immense sacrifice. The Ukrainian diaspora, especially in Canada, has played a crucial role in supporting Ukraine – both through humanitarian aid and advocacy on the international stage.”
In conclusion, Fr. Yurii said the fight for independence “shapes not only our present but our future. Every Ukrainian can contribute to this struggle, defending the sovereignty of Ukraine in its territorial, spiritual, and cultural dimensions.”
Following the presentation, all in attendance were invited to stay for lunch.
Don't count on social media to deliver your local news to you. Keep your news a touch away by bookmarking Canora Courier's homepage at this link.
Bookmark SASKTODAY.ca, Saskatchewan's home page, at this link.
