Local Ukrainians Mourn Russian Attack

As Russian forces pushed towards Kyiv Thursday night, Alexandra Altrui sat in a back pew of the Ukrainian Catholic church on George Street and wept — praying for her nephew as he prepared to take up arms to defend her home country under siege. 

Altrui was one of roughly three dozen people to attend a special service and vigil at 7 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church at 569 George St.

That was one of two such vigils to take place in New Haven Thursday night, with the other happening at the same time at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox on Fowler Street. 

The somber and emotional hour-long George Street gathering took place at the end of a traumatic day for Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off a military invasion of the former Soviet republic that is home to over 44 million people.

The service that Pastor Iura Godenciuc led on George Street Thursday night is one that typically takes place in May, church member and local Ukrainian National Women’s League of America Branch President Anna Salemme explained after it had ended. 

“It is dedicated to the Mother of God, Mary. … In times of trouble, the Ukrainians do turn to Mary and pray for divine intervention.”

Which is what brought Altrui out to George Street on the frigid winter night.

A Branford resident who works in New Haven for the Knights of Columbus, Altrui was born and raised in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil. Ever since emigrating to the United States over three decades ago, she has attended church on George Street every Sunday.

“When I came, [Ukraine] was under the Soviet Union,” and practicing Catholicism was proscribed, she said. ​“It was a blessing to come” to the church on George Street and pray freely and without fear of state-sanctioned retribution.

Altrui cried as she recalled talking to her nephew earlier in the day. He and his family still live in Ukraine. She urged him to leave before as Russia prepared to invade the country over the past few days and weeks, but he refused.

“He said, ​‘No. It’s my country,’ ” Altrui said. She said her nephew plans to take up Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call to arms and join the nation’s army to try and protect the country from Russia.

“My poor country,” Altrui said.

Godenciuc, who has been the pastor at St. Michael for the past 19 years, also fought back tears as he tried to put into words the heartbreak of watching his country and his people under assault.

“It’s hard to explain,” he said.

Born and raised in Romania to a Ukrainian family, Godenciuc started out his career in the church as a priest for the Ukrainian community in Romania. He then moved to Stamford as a missionary priest, and soon thereafter took over the church on George Street, where he lives in the rectory.

“I have friends, relatives” who live in eastern Ukraine and currently seeking some kind of cover from the invading Russian military forces. ​“They’re afraid,” he said. ​“They have their luggage” and are ready to flee. If only they could find safe passage out of the country.

What message does he want to communicate to the broader New Haven community about the ongoing invasion?

“Russia will not stop with Ukraine,” he said. The United States need to step up ​“to do sanctions to stop this aggression.”

Heading back out into the cold on George Street after the service had concluded, Albert Forlano reflected hardships the Ukrainian people and nation have experienced over the past century.

Nazi occupation. Soviet dictatorship. The Holodomor — or Great Famine — that killied millions of Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933.

“How much can a people take?” he asked. ​“These people have suffered. But they are resilient.”

While Forlano isn’t Ukrainian, he has spent many years attending St. Michael church. He was ordained there, and worked as a deacon and as a priest there for over a decade.

“It’s very, very sad,” he said about the ongoing invasion.

In the hours before Thursday night’s service, meanwhile, local, state and federal politicians across Connecticut expressed their support for Ukraine — and called for swift and harsh sanctions against Russia.

“The courage of Ukrainians fighting for their homeland should be matched by even stronger, crippling sanctions by America and its allies,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in an email press release. ​“We should aggressively push our allies to deny Russia access to the SWIFT world financial system and target Putin and his corrupt oligarchs with sanctions on their personal assets.”

“I condemn Russia’s unwarranted and malicious invasion of Ukraine and stand with the Ukrainian people who are under attack,” U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said in a separate press release. ​“Vladimir Putin’s greed, growing aggression, and unyielding pursuit of power have brought us to this point, which will lead to grievous loss of life and humanitarian devastation.”

“I condemn the unjustified, unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine,” added Gov. Ned Lamont. ​“It is abhorrent. The people of Connecticut stand in solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine and pray for their safety as they endure this assault on their freedom. I commend President Biden for leading the free world in sanctioning and punishing Russia for their aggression against a sovereign, democratic, and peaceful nation.”

And while Thursday’s service on George Street focused consisted primarily of unbroken communal singing in Ukrainian, Godenciuc did allude to the world outside of the church — and back in many of the parishioners’ home country — in his brief words in between songs.

“Give to the leaders of our nation the courage of David and the wisdom of Solomon,” he said, ​“so that they may guide us amidst dangers.”

Click on the video below to watch Thursday night’s service.