“I Have No Intention of Leaving This Place”: The Story of a Sole Parish in Sumy Region Serving Through Wartime
The 1,000 days of full-scale war in Ukraine have been marked by pain, sorrow, anxiety, and anticipation. Yet, amidst the suffering, they have also been days of hope, faith, empathy, kindness, love, and mutual support. Each day, Ukraine endures relentless bombings, rocket attacks, and shelling, while praying for God’s protection. Over these 1,000 days, Ukraine has stood firm and grown stronger, with God’s help. One of the regions hardest hit by the war is Sumy Oblast, which continues to rise courageously despite the trials of war.
Faith in God in times of war
Near the entrance to Sumy, on the left bank of the Sukhonosivka River, lies the village of Sad (“Garden”), home to the only Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church parish in Sumy Oblast—the Church of the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Kharkiv Exarchate.
This parish and its community, having endured a military siege and sought the intercession of the Virgin Mary, celebrated their parish feast on November 21, demonstrating once again that with God, all things are possible.
“I have no intention of leaving this place. I will serve these people,” says the church’s rector, Fr. Oleksandr Dyadya, recalling the siege.
“The church, like society itself, is made up of people—and so is our community,” adds the priest.
“People come to the Liturgy scared, because frequent alarms and shelling disturb relentlessly.
“The shelling has reached our area. Our starostas [districts] are constantly under attack. Shahed drones fly over Sumy, and we hear cannon fire both morning and evening,” the priest says forlornly.
“People live in constant danger and anxiety. It is exhausting. Many have fallen ill,” adds Fr. Oleksandr.
He often comes to the church in the evening to pray, read the Book of Hours, feeling worried.
“I wish for an end to this suffering,” he confesses. Yet, he remains steadfast in his belief that prayer and hope in the Lord will help the community persevere. “I feel that people are exhausted,” he says.
The parish faces challenges, including a lack of children to organize concerts or other recreational activities. Many families have relocated to safer regions or abroad, while others have men serving on the frontlines.
Despite the hardships, on November 21, the parish celebrated its feast day with unwavering faith, worshipping God and the Mother of God, thanking Her for protection. Following the Divine Liturgy, parishioners shared a festive meal—a symbol of hope and mutual support.
“On this day, people will come to pray. To support them, we plan to serve home-cooked meals and spend time together,” Fr. Oleksandr shares.
Establishment of the UGCC in Sumy
The UGCC presence in Sumy is relatively recent, beginning when people from western Ukraine migrated to the region, bringing their traditions and spiritual needs with them.
Initially, parishioners attended services at local Roman Catholic churches, where even baptisms were conducted. According to the rector, one of the parishioners came to understand the authenticity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the early 1990s. While studying in Belgorod, he traveled to Galicia and was baptized in Ternopil at a time when the Church was emerging from the underground. He later became one of the founders of the parish.
In the early 2000s, Basilian Fathers from Kharkiv and Pokotylivka began visiting Sumy to minister to Catholics and celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Later, with the blessing of Bishop Stepan Meniok, a UGCC community was officially registered in Sumy.
The journey was not without challenges. “In the beginning, the local authorities were uncooperative, ignoring our requests. We’ve been advocating for a land plot ever since,” Fr. Oleksandr recalls.
Currently, the parish’s land, though geographically part of Sumy, is legally within a neighboring village jurisdiction.
Social service and faith in the future
“Now the city and regional authorities consider our needs,” Fr. Oleksandr notes gladly, commenting on social and charitable projects.
In April of this year, the Sumy City Council and the Caritas Sumy Charitable Organization, chaired by Fr. Oleksandr, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation as part of the project Specialized Support and Assistance to Persons with Disabilities and Their Families during the War.
“Social service means helping everyone, regardless of background, knowledge, race or nationality. We help everyone who comes to us. Our mission is to see Christ in every person,” the rector emphasizes.
The church has a crisis center where psychologists, a crisis manager and a case manager provide assistance to military women, children and those in need. This initiative is carried out with the support of Caritas Ukraine and Caritas Austria. The center also helps veterans and includes an inclusive center for children and adults in need. The visitors range in age from 18 to 50.
“My aspiration is to create a palliative care center. I don’t know whether it will succeed, but with God’s help and our faith, it is possible,” Oleksandr believes.
In the spring, Caritas Sumy, in close partnership with a general practitioner and a mobile fluoroscopy room, provided free medical services to internally displaced persons and residents of the war zone.
The parish is also focused on engaging young people. “I speak with them, explain who we are. They gladly join us during major holidays and attend the Liturgy. I pray that God’s grace will move their hearts, and they will remain part of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church,” the priest concludes.
Compiled by Victoria Mazur
The UGCC Department for Information
