Abbey marks first anniversary of Ukraine war
Friday, 24th February 2023
The Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Vadym Prystaiko, attended Evensong at Westminster Abbey on Friday 24th February 2023, the first anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.
The service included prayers for Ukraine and its people, and the Ambassador read the second lesson. Among the music was the anthem A Prayer for Ukraine, which was sung in Ukrainian by the Abbey Choir.
At the end of the service, the Ambassador laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, which stands as a tribute to all who have given their lives in the service of their country.
Among the congregation were the Ambassadors and Deputy Heads of Mission of 64 countries including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Prayers for Ukraine
Ambassador Prystaiko previously visited the Abbey in April 2022 to honour those killed in the war. Earlier that month, a graphic of the Ukrainian flag was projected onto the church’s West Towers with a message of uniting in prayer for the country.
In October 2020, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, laid a wreath at the Abbey in honour of all victims of oppression and violence.
