CHICAGO (WLS) — The presence of the Ukrainian community has been felt all across Chicago in recent days, especially over the last 24 hours.
On Sunday, that continued with more prayer.
The Archdiocese of Chicago held more services Sunday.
All parishes, schools and worship sites in the archdiocese were asked to ring their bells in solidarity with the people of Ukraine at noon.
It’s been an emotional week for many Ukrainians in Chicago, watching this all unfold from afar, but that sense of unity is lifting up the community.
“Always, you have to do something. If you want to do something then you have to do something,” said Stepan Nozhak, who was one of the organizers to pull together a car caravan protest Saturday.
SEE MORE: Russians enter Ukraine’s 2nd-largest city, Kharkiv, advance on ports
Ukrainians living in Chicago united on Saturday to show solidarity with their native country with a truck and a car caravan more than 100 vehicles long.
Organized in less than 24 hours using social media, the caravan of semi-trucks, most draped in the blue and yellow Ukrainian flags, started in suburban East Dundee and ended at Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain downtown.
Anna Mariya Skakodub’s parents and sibling still live in the western part of Ukraine.
“I still hope that every time I call them I will still get a message that they are still alive,” she said. “They are still okay and my country is still safe.”
Signs were also posted across Ukrainian Village. People are begging the U.S. and other foreign powers to do more to stop this war.
The first service began Sunday at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral at 9:30 a.m.
A number of priests are coming together in solidarity for Ukraine.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker were also at a rally Sunday afternoon at Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church.
Pritzker called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “bloodthirsty” and urged Illinoisans to pray for Ukrainians who have been standing in resistance.
“Screw Vladimir Putin,” Pritzker said. “Liberty, democracy and humanity will defeat tyranny and oppression every time, but only if we resist in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”
Lightfoot echoed Pritzker’s statements, saying “we must stand with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.”
“We have to continue to fight and provide weapons and humanitarian aid,” Lightfoot said. “Freedom for Ukraine forever.”
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Source: https://abc7chicago.com/russia-ukraine-protest-chicago-protests-russian/11604885/
