In the heart of Franklin Township, New Jersey, where the sacred grounds of St. Andrew Memorial Church and Cemetery stand as a testament to the enduring faith and freedom of the Ukrainian people, a solemn and profound commemoration took place. The Spiritual Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA became a beacon of prayer, reflection, and hope as the faithful gathered to mark the third anniversary of the brutal and genocidal aggression waged by Russia against Ukraine.

This sacred prayer gathering, led by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, the spiritual father of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA, coincided with the holy observance of the Meatfare Sunday - the Sunday of the Last Judgment. It was a day where faith met history, where the Gospel’s call to love, mercy, and responsibility confronted the harsh realities of war, injustice, and suffering inflicted upon the innocent.

As over a hundred and fifty faithful stood united in prayer, Archbishop Daniel presided over the Divine Liturgy, surrounded by local clergy. The atmosphere was filled with the solemnity of the moment, as intercessory prayers ascended for the souls of the “Heavenly Hundred” - the brave men and women who gave their lives during Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution of Dignity. These heroes, who stood for freedom, dignity, and the soul of a nation, now stand as eternal witnesses to Ukraine’s unbreakable spirit.

In his deeply moving homily, Archbishop Daniel reflected on the Gospel reading of the Last Judgment, where Christ teaches: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”(Matthew 25:40).

With a voice echoing both pastoral care and prophetic urgency, the Archbishop declared:

“The war in Ukraine is not just a geopolitical tragedy; it is a moral crisis for humanity. When innocent blood cries from the ground - when children are orphaned, women violated, the elderly abandoned, and homes destroyed - this is nothing less than a war against the image of God in humanity. For every child harmed, Christ weeps; for every home destroyed, Christ mourns. And He asks us: Where were you when My people suffered?”

Archbishop Daniel’s words stirred the hearts of all present, reminding them that the Last Judgment is not a distant event but a daily challenge.

“We will be judged not merely for acts of commission but for the silence of omission. To stand with Ukraine today is not just an act of solidarity; it is an act of faith, of fulfilling Christ’s commandment to love and protect the least among us.”

Following the Liturgy, the faithful - holding portraits of the Heavenly Hundred - processed solemnly from the Memorial Church to the towering cross at St. Andrew Cemetery. As Ukrainian flags waved, the wind whispered through them, as though joining the prayers rising to heaven. In that sacred space, among the graves of those who fought for Ukraine’s independence, a memorial service was held. The cries of “Vichnaya Pamyat” - eternal memory - rose as a chorus of defiance and hope.

The Archbishop led prayers not only for the fallen heroes of the Maidan but also for the countless victims of the Holodomor, the genocidal famine engineered by the Soviet regime. St. Andrew Memorial Church itself, built in memory of these victims, stood as a solemn reminder of the repeated attempts to erase Ukraine’s soul—and of the resilience that refuses to be extinguished.

“Our ancestors sleep in this sacred soil,” Archbishop Daniel said. “They bear witness to the truth that freedom is sacred, that human dignity is God-given. Their blood speaks. Their memory lives. And their sacrifice compels us - to pray, to act, and to stand firm in the truth.”

As the world marks the third year of this renewed aggression against Ukraine, Archbishop Daniel called all people of conscience to a higher understanding of democracy - not merely as a political system but as a moral obligation.

“Democracy is not merely the right to vote or speak. It is the sacred responsibility to defend the dignity of every human being. To protect the vulnerable. To stand against evil. When tyrants seek to crush the spirit of a free people, when bombs fall upon homes and schools, it is the duty of every Christian to say: Not in our name. Not in the name of God.”

The Archbishop’s words reminded all that the battle for Ukraine is not only for territory or sovereignty but for the soul of humanity.

“To stand with Ukraine is to stand with Christ. To defend Ukraine’s right to exist, to flourish, to live in peace, is to defend the Gospel itself. For the Lord judges the nations as He judges each soul: by how we treat the least, the suffering, the oppressed.”

As the commemoration came to a close, the spiritual center of the UOC of the USA resounded with a renewed call - to pray for Ukraine, to stand with Ukraine, and to defend Ukraine. The faithful departed, their hearts heavy with remembrance yet strengthened with resolve.

The wind still moved among the flags. The voices of the faithful still echoed: Vichnaya Pamyat. And the message remained clear: Stand with Ukraine. Pray for Ukraine. Defend Ukraine.

For in doing so, we defend the truth of the Gospel, the dignity of humanity, and the hope of a world where freedom and peace prevail.