'Praying for peace': Sudbury Ukrainian community gathers for first Sunday service after Russian invasion

It was a busier than usual Sunday service at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church as parishioners flocked to the Sudbury institution to pray for peace following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

The downtown church has been serving Sudbury's Ukrainian community since the end of the Second World War.

Most have been glued to their televisions and the internet waiting for news from home and updates from their friends and family.

"It's terrible. It's awful. There are no words to describe what happened. It's unthinkable, I still think this is a dream," Father Peter Bodnar told CTV News in an interview. "How in the world today can someone attack a sovereign country?"

Parishioners gathered for the 9 a.m. Sunday service in Ukrainian.

Walter Bilyj decided to come in traditional dress as a tribute to the homeland of his parents.

"It's very disheartening. It's very heartbreaking to see what's happening," said Bilyj. "But on the other side, it's also predictable. Here's an evil empire that's been allowed to flourish and now they're trying to impose their rules on everything around them."

One man arrived wearing a hand-stitched Ukrainian flag, approximately the size of a poppy, over his heart.

Another older man and his daughter had come in from North Bay for the service. His daughter had convinced him to stop in the church first because he wants to get on a flight and go fight.

"I want to thank the Polish government and the Polish people for taking in the Ukrainians," said another parishioner, John Klys.

Klys also has family in Ukraine. He said it's a difficult thing to have to watch and wait but he has confidence Ukraine will come out in the end still standing.

"The whole world is behind Ukraine for a very simple reason. If Putin can go into Ukraine and destroy Ukraine, what's stopping him from going to other countries," he said.

Bodnar said this has been very difficult for the congregation to have to watch the news unfold from afar.

In Ukrainian, he urged his flock to use their voice and to let the people know what is happening in their motherland. He also asked people to pray for those who have stayed behind to protect their neighbours.

Father Peter Bodnar at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Sudbury leads his congregation in prayers of peace for the people of Ukraine. Feb. 27/22 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

"It's definitely the pain and suffering in Ukraine. A lot (in Sudbury) have brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, you know. I have one friend who left for Ukraine a month ago because he has a 95-year-old mother and he didn't think twice. He went to support her because these are terrible times," said Bodnar.

They ended the church service with a makeshift rally near the trident at Hnatyshyn Park that marks the corner at Notre Dame Avenue and Lloyd Street.

Among the non-Ukrainians who came out to support the community was Jackie Moffatt.

"Putin's just got to stop this craziness. This is a full-blown war at this point that peace-loving people do not deserve," she said.

"The fight is from over, this is just a stepping stone," said Bilyj.

It's an eerie sense of déjà-vu for many in the group. The church's founders fled Ukraine previously after the horrors of war. They've so far raised thousands for this humanitarian crisis and Bodnar said more help is continuing to come in.

"I had someone reaching out from the paramedic community who said 'Father, how can we support with the medical equipment or medicine?' And I know one of the churches in Oakville is collecting, so I directed him to Oakville because on Wednesday they're doing a shipment with medical supplies," he said.

St. Mary's will be opening the church every day this week at 4:30 p.m. should supporters want to come and pray.

St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church on Notre Dame Avenue in Sudbury. Feb. 27/22 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

Bodnar said the help is welcome and at the very least he's hoping people will keep the Ukrainians in their prayers.

"On one level, we suffer, but on a spiritual level, on a spirit level, we rise up to become people of good neighbours," he said.

Neighbours that will be needed now more than ever.