Easter service held in Ukrainian at Abu Dhabi cathedral
Ukrainians in Abu Dhabi gathered to celebrate Easter Sunday with the hope that the war in their country would end.
A special Ukrainian-language service was held on the occasion at St Joseph’s Cathedral.
Father Liubomyr Fylypchak led the Greek Catholic Church service in prayer and in a traditional folk song.
Worshippers prayed for relatives who are in Ukraine, two months on from the Russian invasion. The conflict has led to thousands of deaths, displaced millions and left the Ukrainian economy in ruins.
Yevheniy Semenov, who lives in Abu Dhabi, told The National the community had pulled together to support family members at home.
“Everyone knows the men and women who are defending Ukraine, our relatives, our friends, and we know they will do their best to bring this war to an end,” he said.
Ukrainian residents of the UAE have taken in relatives who have sought to escape.
“Many families have brought relatives out here, but, of course, it’s all ladies and kids. The men are still in Ukraine, serving,” Mr Semenov said.
“Everybody believes we will win, the war will be finished. We have a lady here who was lucky enough to escape Mariupol, which was almost 100 per cent destroyed as a city. She has told us of people making drinking water out of snow, no phone coverage, so they don’t know what is happening.”
Mr Semenov said Ukrainians abroad yearn for the day they can visit their home cities and towns safely again.
“We all want to once again visit our country, to see its historic buildings, its beautiful streets,” he said.
“And not just to see the physical Ukraine but to return to the feeling of calm once again.”