The Prayer for Peace in Ukraine Resounded in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Perth
On Sunday, June 22, Fr. Ihor Holovko, together with parishioners of St. John the Baptist Church in Perth, took part in a joint prayer for peace, which took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the main Catholic church in Perth.
The Divine Liturgy, led by Bishop Donald George Sproxton, Auxiliary Bishop in the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth in Western Australia, was held as part of Refugee Week celebrations and brought together priests and lay people from communities whose countries of origin are currently suffering from armed conflict in a joint prayer for refugees and all those affected by war and conflict around the world.
During the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Ihor Holovko read the Gospel in Ukrainian. The prayer of the faithful was also recited in Ukrainian by a young parishioner, Anna Yezgor: “We pray for Ukraine, that the war may end with blessed peace, and that people may once again live normal lives.”
After the event, Fr. Ihor posted a touching video in which he pointed out that the Ukrainian flag is always flying in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Perth as a sign of support for the Ukrainian people from the Catholic Church in Australia. “Here is the journey of our parish of St. John the Baptist to the local cathedral of St. Mary. And here we see that our blue and yellow flag is still flying; it is still in the middle. We see how the Catholic Church supports our people in times of war with prayer, spiritually, with kind words, and with good deeds. Today, a liturgy was held for peace in Ukraine and in other places and countries where the devil wants to divide, plunder, and bring death. But we Christians live life. The life that God has given us, which we value and which we honour in others,” emphasised Fr. Ihor.
For the Ukrainian community in Perth, participation in this Divine Liturgy was also a pilgrimage within the Jubilee Year 2025.
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